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Trump Speaks by Phone with Freed Hostage Edan Alexander

May 17, 2025 · The White House · 0:01:21

Embedded from the source channel — never re-uploaded. Watch on YouTube

What happened

President Donald Trump spoke by phone with freed American hostage Edan Alexander in a call carried by the White House. Trump opened, as he stated it, by joking that he was nervous talking to Alexander because Alexander is a much bigger celebrity than he is — the hottest celebrity in the world right now — though, as Trump put it, that is no way to become a celebrity.

Alexander told the president, as he stated it in the call and as quoted by the White House, “You’re the only reason I’m here. You saved my life.” Trump responded, as he stated it, that they had feared for a period that Alexander had been lost, and told him: you’re an American, we love you, we’re going to take good care of you, and your parents are incredible.

Trump remarked, as he stated it, that Alexander’s mother had put a lot of pressure on him — like a good mom — and noted that the press had been very fair to Alexander, calling the journey amazing. Alexander noted, as he stated it, that he was on speaker with cameras around, which Trump said would be the case for a while.

Why it matters

The event is part of the administration’s foreign policy record — its diplomacy, alliances, and use of American leverage abroad — stated here in the participants’ own attributed terms.

Sources: The White House, “Freed Hostage Edan Alexander Talks to President Trump: “You’re the only reason I’m here.””, 2025-05-17 (official upload, embedded above; published 2025-05-17). Transcript via Supadata (private research store, paraphrased and attributed, not republished). All figures and characterizations as stated by the speakers.