In March, Adam Boehler, Donald Trump's envoy for hostage affairs, caused a storm in Washington when he became the first US official to meet publicly and face-to-face with Hamas, despite the group being listed as a "terrorist" organisation by the United States.
Rather than demonise Hamas, Boehler struck a surprising tone, telling reporters: "I understand why Israelis are angry, but the United States is not an agent of Israel. We have our own interests."
He added: "I could meet with Israelis and tell them that Hamas members don’t have horns growing out of their heads - they’re actually men like us, kind men".
His remarks infuriated pro-Israel lawmakers across both parties in Congress, many of whom receive substantial support from pro-Israel lobbying groups.
Under mounting pressure, Boehler withdrew his nomination for the official envoy role. However, weeks later, on 4 April, President Trump quietly informed Congress that Boehler would resume coordinating interagency hostage affairs, but this time in a role that didn’t require Senate confirmation. He would report directly to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Since that controversy, Boehler has continued working on the hostage issue behind the scenes. He stopped making remarks distancing the US from Israeli positions and avoided questions about whether he was still negotiating with Hamas.
His media appearances became vague and diplomatic, urging Hamas to release hostages "to help end the war". Trump, too, has refrained from publicly acknowledging Boehler's role, despite him having led the initial breakthrough talks between the US and Hamas.
Boehler's role in hostage diplomacy
On Monday, Boehler was in Israel, travelling with the parents of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander to receive him following his release from captivity in Gaza.
Though no longer the public face of hostage diplomacy, Boehler has remained deeply involved. In brief remarks quoted by CNN, he said: "This was a team effort led by the president, with strong focus from the president himself, Secretary Rubio, and Steve Witkoff."
He added that the signals were "very positive" and that the administration remained committed to freeing all hostages and recovering the remains of American citizens.
Speaking to Reuters, he welcomed Alexander’s release and called it a "positive step", urging Hamas to return the bodies of four other American nationals.
Boehler, 51, was born in New York to Jewish parents. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, he was a roommate with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.
During Trump's first term, Boehler served as director of the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation at the Department of Health and Human Services.
He later played a key role in the US-brokered normalisation deals between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, often travelling with Kushner on negotiation missions. Trump awarded him the Department of Defence's highest civilian medal during his first term.