Trump’s Pick for Hostage Negotiations Withdraws Nomination

March 16, 2025 TruthUSA

Adam Boehler will remain in the administration as a special government employee.

The White House has announced the withdrawal of Adam Boehler as the president’s nominee for the role of special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.

Boehler, who was recently engaged in efforts to obtain the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, will now act as a “special government employee,” according to the White House. The administration has not provided reasons for the withdrawal of Boehler’s nomination, which requires confirmation from the Senate.

Being designated as a special government employee allows an official to potentially circumvent disclosure requirements that would have been necessary had they pursued Senate confirmation.

“Adam Boehler will continue to assist President Trump as a special government employee focusing on hostage negotiations,” stated White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Saturday.

“Adam played a vital role in the negotiation for Marc Fogel’s return from Russia. He will persist in this crucial mission to secure the return of wrongfully detained individuals worldwide.”

Boehler expressed that this change positions him better to support the Trump administration in its goals.

“This gives me the optimal ability to assist Americans held overseas while collaborating across departments to realize President Trump’s objectives,” he mentioned.

Boehler is the founder and managing partner of a healthcare investment firm, Rubicon Founders. He previously served in the first Trump administration as the director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team.

Last week, the administration also withdrew the nomination of Dave Weldon as head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to a source. This official indicated that Weldon, a former Republican congressman from Florida, lacked sufficient votes for confirmation.

Weldon, 71, was scheduled to testify before the Senate Health Committee on March 13, but that event was reported as canceled last week.

In a statement, Weldon acknowledged criticism surrounding his views on vaccines, noting that he was informed Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) seemed hesitant to support his nomination. Weldon clarified that he is not anti-vaccine and does not believe vaccines cause autism.

Weldon opined that the withdrawal of his nomination was likely influenced by large pharmaceutical companies, which he described as “the most powerful lobby group in Washington DC.”

“The president is a busy man dedicated to doing great work for our country, and he certainly does not need controversy surrounding the CDC,” he added.

Prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, he had nominated Republican congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general, but Gaetz later withdrew amid concerns over an ethics report from the House. Trump subsequently appointed Pam Bondi, who was confirmed as attorney general in February.

In December 2024, Trump retracted his nomination of Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) following Republican backlash regarding his COVID-19 pandemic response. Chronister, the sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, faced accusations related to arresting a pastor who continued to hold church services during the pandemic in 2020.

Trump stated on Truth Social that the decision to withdraw Chronister’s nomination was due to his discontent with what Chronister had said to his supporters and pastors. Trump also denied claims that Chronister had withdrawn his own nomination.

The Epoch Times reached out to the White House for further comments on Sunday.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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