Imagine waking up each morning not knowing if your child is safe, not knowing if you’ll ever see your son again. For over 560 agonizing days, Ruby Chen has lived this nightmare. His son, Itay Chen, an American-Israeli citizen, remains hostage in Gaza alongside four other American citizens—Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, and Judy and Gadi Weinstein. Every day that passes without their release deepens the torment for their families and challenges our nation’s commitment to protecting its citizens.
When President Donald Trump swept back into power on a wave of America First patriotism, families like Ruby’s felt genuine hope. After four years of Biden-era weakness—a time marked by appeasement, empty rhetoric, and catastrophic failures abroad—Trump’s decisive leadership was a breath of fresh air. Indeed, even before his inauguration, Trump’s demands secured the release of 33 hostages, including two Americans, from Hamas’ clutches. His supporters know this: when Trump speaks, the world listens.
Yet, there remain 59 hostages still held in Gaza, and among them, these five brave Americans. Ruby Chen recently made a heartfelt plea directly to President Trump, urging him to use the full might of our nation to bring his son and fellow American hostages home. As Chen stated, “This is not a critique made in anger. It is a plea made in desperation.”
President Trump is renowned for his unmatched negotiating prowess. Under his previous administration, we saw American citizens freed from hostile regimes across the globe. Americans remember how swiftly Trump secured releases from rogue states like North Korea and Venezuela. So why, then, do these five Americans remain captive after Trump’s first 100 days back in office?
The previous Biden administration’s foreign policy was an unmitigated disaster, a reckless experiment in weakness that emboldened terrorists and rogue states alike. Biden’s insistence on outsourcing hostage negotiations to third-party actors, like Qatar, yielded nothing but failure. Trump inherited this flawed playbook, and it’s time for him to discard it entirely and reclaim American sovereignty and dignity.
President Trump has already proven himself willing to take bold action in pursuit of America First policies. His administration has shown remarkable courage in economic negotiations, applying pressure through tariffs and financial leverage to secure our national interests. Ruby Chen rightly asks, “Why not apply similar pressure now to release the U.S. hostages?”
Indeed, American families have grown so frustrated that they’ve begun lobbying Congress directly, pressing for aggressive financial sanctions against Hamas and its enablers. They’ve called for stricter enforcement of existing measures and even filed lawsuits against individuals supporting Hamas-linked projects. Earlier this month, these families sued Bashar Masri, an American businessman accused of enabling Hamas’ infrastructure, which led to the deaths of 45 U.S. citizens during the terrorist group’s brutal rampage.
President Trump must heed these families’ desperate calls and put the full force of his administration behind securing the release of these hostages. As Ruby Chen powerfully reminds us, “Americans—children, fathers, sisters—are all still being held in underground tunnels by a terrorist organization, in conditions we can barely imagine.” How can we tolerate this for even one more day?
Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East presents an unparalleled opportunity. Imagine the triumph—for America, for our values, for the world—if President Trump personally returns home with these five Americans on Air Force One. This would send an unmistakable message to the world: American lives are non-negotiable, and those who threaten them will face the full weight of American power.
Ruby Chen still holds hope that his son, Itay, is alive. He still believes in America’s promise, America’s strength, and America’s moral clarity. Now, it’s time for President Trump to show the world what true America First leadership means: no American left behind, no family abandoned, and no terrorist group allowed to hold our nation hostage.
