The special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, or more formally the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, was established in 2015, by an executive order pertaining to the recovery of U.S. hostages held by non-state actors and of U.S. citizens wrongfully detained by foreign states. The Special Presidential Envoy leads and coordinates activities across the Executive Branch to bring home those Americans. The position was created in 2015 during the Obama administration.
In February 2020, President Trump announced his intention to appoint Roger D. Carstens as the next special presidential envoy.
In January 2021, incoming President Joseph R. Biden and incoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken requested that Roger Carstens stay on into the Biden administration.
During Trump's second presidential transition, he nominated Adam Boehler to that position, but he withdrew after it was leaked that he met Hamas representatives in Qatar.
List of special presidential envoys +No.OfficeholderTerm startTerm endTenure lengthPresident1Jim O'BrienAugust 28, 2015January 20, 2017Barack Obama2Robert C. O'BrienMay 25, 2018October 3, 2019Donald TrumpactingHugh DuganOctober 4, 2019March 1, 20203Roger D. CarstensMarch 2, 2020January 20, 2025Joe BidenactingDustin StewartJanuary 21, 2025IncumbentDonald Trump
References
External links
United States Department of State: Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Announcing the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs