Trump Hosts Captivity Survivor Rom Braslavski at White House

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted captivity survivor Rom Braslavski at the White House on Tuesday, in Braslavski’s first visit to the Oval Office since his release from Gaza.

Photos published after the meeting showed Braslavski speaking with Trump and posing with him in the Oval Office. The visit was arranged by Martin Marks, the White House official responsible for government relations with the Jewish community.

Braslavski had not joined the delegation of released hostages who visited the White House in November 2025. At the time, he canceled his flight because of his emotional condition following his release, amid concerns that the long trip, airport lines and travel stress could trigger post-traumatic symptoms.

Braslavski was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and held in Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization for nearly two years. Since his return to Israel, he has become one of the prominent voices speaking about the harsh conditions in captivity and the long struggle faced by survivors even after they come home.

During his captivity, Braslavski was subjected to severe abuse, including sexual assault. He was also forced to appear in psychological terror videos released by the terrorist organization during the war.

The meeting with Trump was described as emotional for Braslavski, who shared a short post on Instagram afterward.

“I met in the Oval Office with U.S. President Donald Trump for a very long meeting of ten whole minutes,” he wrote. “Very, very moving.”

The visit comes as former hostages and their families continue to push for public attention to the suffering of those who returned from captivity, as well as those still dealing with the long-term physical and psychological consequences of their time in Gaza.

For Braslavski, the White House meeting marked a step he was not able to take immediately after his release. Months after canceling his first planned trip because of the trauma he was still carrying, he was able to stand in the Oval Office and speak directly with the American president.