Former hostage Rom Braslavski meets President Trump at the White House

Former Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski met US President Trump at the White House this week, marking the first meeting between the two men since Braslavski's release from captivity in Gaza.

Photos shared by Braslavski on social media showed him alongside the president during the visit. The meeting comes months after Braslavski was unable to join a delegation of former hostages and families of hostages received by Trump in November 2025 due to psychological difficulties stemming from his prolonged captivity.

According to Israeli media reports, Braslavski was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and those close to him feared that international travel at the time would be too emotionally challenging.

In photographs released after the meeting, Braslavski was seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the Hebrew inscription: "Thank you very much, Trump."

In a message posted on Instagram, Braslavski expressed gratitude to the U.S. president for his role in efforts to secure his release.

"Mr. President Donald Trump, you are the man who brought me out of the hell of 738 days in captivity," Braslavski wrote. "You are my hero. God bless you, and God bless America."

Braslavski was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival, which came under attack during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel.

He was released in October 2025 after spending 738 days in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Since returning home, Braslavski has publicly spoken about the abuse he endured while being held hostage, including allegations of torture and sexual assault.

Braslavski later said the meeting was an opportunity to personally thank the American president, whom he credits as playing a significant role in securing his freedom after more than two years in captivity.