Trump to deliver state of the union address with hostage survivors and families in attendance

Seven hostage survivors and family members of abductees arrived in the United States on Monday to attend President Donald Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address. However, it remains unclear whether they will have an opportunity to meet with the president. Efforts to arrange a meeting are ongoing, but as of now, no meeting has been scheduled. If it does take place, it is expected to happen today.

The group that traveled to the U.S. includes Eli Sharabi, Omer Shem Tov, Yair Horen, and Aviva and Keith Siegel. They were joined by Doron Steinbacher and Naama Levy. Their visit was intended to involve meetings with U.S. officials, and the Hostages’ Families Forum initially announced that a meeting with Trump was expected. However, at this stage, no such meeting appears on the president’s official schedule, as the president remains focused on other pressing issues, including the war in Ukraine and his ongoing trade disputes.

“The hostage survivors are here to thank the Trump administration for the president’s unwavering commitment to bringing back all the hostages. They will provide firsthand testimony about the horrors of Hamas’ tunnels. U.S. officials will hear about the urgency of securing the immediate return of all the hostages in a single phase,” the Hostages’ Families Forum stated.

Following Sharabi’s invitation to the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally called him, apologizing for the delay in reaching out after his release. Netanyahu explained that he had attempted to contact him 10 days earlier. During the conversation, Netanyahu extended his condolences for the loss of Sharabi’s wife, daughters, and brother, emphasizing the importance of his testimony to President Trump. Sharabi thanked Netanyahu for his efforts and assured him that he would advocate for the return of all hostages during his discussions in Washington.

Trump is set to deliver his address before both houses of Congress, following the tradition of the State of the Union. However, since he was only inaugurated in January, the speech is not officially labeled as a State of the Union address. According to Reuters, Trump may use the occasion to announce a new mineral trade agreement with Ukraine, a deal that was abruptly canceled last Friday when he expelled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following his behavior from the White House and ordered the cessation of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

“The president’s speech will be a must-see event,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, noting that the address is expected to last about an hour. While Democrats are not planning a widespread boycott, some have indicated they will not attend.

According to a senior White House official, Trump’s speech will focus on “reviving the American dream” and “laying out his vision for restoring global peace.” The president is expected to outline his plan to end the war in Ukraine and highlight the rescue of hostages held by Hamas.

High-Profile Attendees and Political Divisions

Alongside the hostage survivors, Mark Fogel, an American who was recently released from a Russian prison thanks to the mediation of Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, is also expected to attend. Additionally, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is anticipated to be in attendance, after reportedly assisting Trump with drafting and revising parts of the speech over the weekend.