Melania Trump welcomed to the White House on Wednesday freed Israeli hostages Keith Siegel and wife Aviva, who played a role in her newly released film.
And she had strong words for a reporter who tried to question her about Ghislaine Maxwell.
“We are here celebrating the release and the lives of these two incredible people so let’s honor that,” Trump said.
The first lady kept the focus of the event on her work and denied she was promoting her self-titled documentary even though she and the former Hamas captives mentioned the movie that hit theaters on Friday in their remarks.
In her “Melania” film, she met with Aviva to discuss Keith’s captivity and helped to eventually free him.
“It was emotional meeting,” Trump said of her sitdown with Avivia, “and it is captured on camera and available to see by the film, Melania.”
She praised Aviva’s dedication to her husband. “Aviva was a warrior. She is a warrior. She was fighting very hard for Keith. And I know he suffered a lot.” And told Keith: “I’m happy to see you healthy at home with your children, with your grandchildren, with your family.”
Both Keith and Aviva mentioned the film when they thanked Melania Trump for her support.
“I want to thank you for being a caring, compassionate person and for supporting and helping Aviva,” he said.
“I also want to end by congratulating you on the release of your movie. So much looking forward to seeing it, and so grateful for you deciding to have Aviva be a part of your movie. Thank you.”
Aviva added in her thanks: “I knew how important it was for you to go back home and talk to President Trump and sharing your feelings. So I want to thank you for that, and I want to thank you for putting me in your special Melania film.”
The first lady denied her meeting with the couple was a business promotion when pressed by a reporter.
“This is not promotion,” she said. “We are here celebrating the release of the hostages of Aviva and Keith. They were in Washington, DC, and they called me. They called me. They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs, and that’s why we’re doing it. It’s nothing to do with promotion.”
Keith and Aviva Siegel were two of the roughly 250 people captured during the Oct. 7th attack and spent 484 days in captivity in Gaza.
Aviva was released during a cease-fire in November 2023. She met with Melania Trump after President Trump won the 2024 election – an event that was documented in the first lady’s self-titled documentary.
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Melania comforted Avivia Siegel when she broke down in tears, promising to pray for her husband. “I will always use my influence and power to fight for those in need,” the first lady said in the documentary.
Keith Siegel, a dual Israeli-American, was freed in February 2025. The Siegels have been public advocates for the hostages and met several times with President Trump.
In her documentary, Melania Trump takes credit for his release.
At the end of the film, a series of title cards lists her accomplishments as first lady, including: “Melania Trump played a key role in securing the release of Keith Siegel after 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, just 12 days after the inauguration.”
Melania Trump explained she spoke to President Trump after her meeting with Aviva and showed him two books Aviva had given her.
“I explained him everything, and I know how hard he was going to work to release the hostages,” Trump said.
The Siegels in-person meeting with the first lady in the Blue Room of the White House grew emotional. Keith had to pause and take breaths when he spoke. And Melania held Aviva’s hand for support.
“I want to thank you for being a caring, compassionate person and for supporting and helping Aviva,” Keith said.
“I’m eternally grateful, and I’m very grateful, to have the opportunity to say that to you in person, sitting next to you. I’m eternally grateful to you and President Trump for bringing me home and for bringing all of the hostages back to their families.”
Aviva also offered her thanks and announced she would also include the first lady in the thank-you section of her forthcoming book.
Melania Trump said she was going to continue her work to free hostages around the word.
The first lady has freed Ukrainian children from Russia and vowed to keep pressing President Vladimir Putin on that issue. She has helped return nearly two dozen children and hopes to free more.
“I’m working on it, and we are in the process. So I hope to have success very soon. I will keep you posted,” she said.
The first lady showed little patience in questions on other topics, snapping back at a reporter who asked her if she supported a push from victims of Jeffrey Epstein to return Maxwell to a high security prison.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal sentence tied to sex trafficking by Epstein. Emails between her and the first lady were revealed on Friday when the Justice Department released 3 million files in the case of the dead pedophile.
