WASHINGTON — Melania Trump met with freed American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel in a private conversation at the White House Wednesday afternoon. The talk came one year after Siegel was released from Hamas captivity in what was part of the first phase of a temporary Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
In remarks to the press, Keith Siegel, his wife Aviva Siegel, and the first lady raised discussion of her recently released documentary, “Melania,” four times in less than 10 minutes
“I am grateful to the first lady and to the President for their tremendous efforts to secure the return of the hostages,” Siegel said. “I also want to end by congratulating you on the release of your movie. I’m so much looking forward to seeing it.”
Siegel was among the hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Last January, Melania Trump spoke with Aviva Siegel about her husband’s captivity.
The first lady said a meeting she had with Aviva Siegel in January 2025 about her husband’s captivity inspired her to ask the president to help broker an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. (Ben Shapiro/MNS)
The first lady today described the meeting as “emotional” and added that a portion of their conversation is available to watch in her documentary that came out last week.
When asked if it was appropriate to promote her film during an official White House event, Melania Trump said she was solely celebrating the release of the hostages.
“They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs,” the first lady said. “It’s nothing to do with promotion.”