Axios reported that “although those talks were approved by Trump, they sparked anger among some Senate Republicans, some of whom took the issue up privately with the White House.
Adam Boehler’s nomination as Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the US State Department has been withdrawn, the US-based news website Axios reported, citing two White House officials.
According to Axios, “a senior Trump administration official claimed that the move has been planned for two weeks and was intended to shift Boehler into a different presidential envoy position”.
Boehler has become the focus of intense media and political scrutiny since US media outlets reported that he met directly with Hamas officials, making him the first US official to do so.
Axios noted that “the talks between Boehler and Hamas have sparked great anger in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, including an angry phone call with Netanyahu’s close confidant, Ron Dermer.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reportedly told Axios that “Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations”.
The Wall Street Journal cited White House and congressional aides as saying that Boehler withdrew from the position to avoid divesting from companies where he holds executive roles, allowing him to continue his work as a private government employee.
The Israeli news site Walla confirmed that Boehler’s contacts with Hamas had angered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
Axios reported that “although those talks were approved by (US President Donald) Trump, they sparked anger among some Senate Republicans, some of whom took the issue up privately with the White House.”
Boehler, who previously served as Deputy Director of the Centers for Health Care Services and Executive Director of the US International Development Finance Corporation, played a key role in the so-called Abraham Accords in 2020.
After Trump’s re-election, Boehler was nominated for the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs position on December 4, 2024.
In early March 2025, he led US talks with Hamas, proposing a new initiative to extend the Gaza ceasefire, involving the release of 10 living prisoners in exchange for a two-month truce extension. These discussions sparked concerns within Israel.
In a recent interview with CNN, Boehler addressed reports of Israeli anger over his meetings with Hamas, acknowledging their concerns while emphasizing that “the United States is not an agent of Israel.”
(PC, Axios)
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