President Donald Trump has wasted no time in fulfilling his promise to fight for Americans left behind abroad. Just days after returning to the White House, Trump’s team has already reached out to Debra Tice, the mother of Marine veteran and journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared over 12 years ago in Syria.
Unlike the Biden administration, which failed to deliver results during its four years in power, Trump is demonstrating a proactive approach. “I have great hope that the Trump administration will sincerely engage in diligent work to bring Austin home,” Debra Tice said during her first visit to Damascus since insurgents toppled President Bashar al-Assad last month.
Her optimism stems from action, not empty rhetoric. “His people have already reached out to me. I haven’t experienced that for the last four years,” she revealed, a pointed reminder of Biden’s lack of engagement.
Austin Tice vanished in 2012 while covering the anti-Assad uprising near Damascus. Weeks after his disappearance, a chilling video surfaced showing him blindfolded and held by armed men, muttering, “Oh, Jesus.” Despite Syria publicly denying any involvement in his abduction, the Tice family has information suggesting he is alive.
The contrast between Trump and Biden couldn’t be more stark. While Biden vaguely stated in December that Assad “should be held accountable” and claimed his administration had “no direct evidence” of Tice’s well-being, Trump’s team is already taking decisive steps. Debra Tice’s productive meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria’s new administration, is evidence of the renewed diplomatic momentum under Trump’s leadership.
Sharaa, who has expressed determination to help reunite families separated during Syria’s devastating civil war, met with Debra Tice to discuss Austin’s case. Her visit included two military intelligence prisons infamous for their inhumane conditions and systematic torture—an “unbelievably horrible nightmare,” as she described them.
But despite the unimaginable circumstances, Debra Tice’s resolve remains unshaken. “Austin, if you can somehow hear this, I love you. I know you’re not giving up, and neither am I,” she said, offering a heartfelt message to her son.
Austin, originally from Houston, was a freelance journalist covering the anti-Assad uprising in Damascus when he disappeared. His work, published by major outlets like *The Washington Post* and McClatchy newspapers, shed light on the horrors of Syria’s civil war, where tens of thousands have gone missing since 2011.
For years, Debra Tice has tirelessly fought to keep her son’s case in the public eye, but the lack of action from the previous administration left her frustrated. Now, with Trump back in office, she feels a renewed sense of hope.
Trump’s inauguration speech promised a “golden age of America,” vowing to prioritize American sovereignty and justice for its citizens. His swift action in Austin Tice’s case reflects that commitment. As Debra Tice holds onto hope, Americans can be assured that their president is once again fighting for every citizen, no matter where they are in the world.
