Austin Tice's Mother Returns to Syria with Optimism for New Leadership and Trump's Support
Debra Tice expresses renewed hope in the efforts to find her son, missing since 2012, with assistance from both Syria’s new government and the Trump administration.
DAMASCUS, Syria — Debra Tice, the mother of missing American journalist Austin Tice, spoke with renewed optimism on Monday after returning to Syria for the first time in a decade. Tice, who disappeared while reporting on the Syrian civil war in 2012, was one of the earliest American journalists to cover the conflict before vanishing.
At a press conference in Damascus, Tice shared that she had received encouraging offers of support from the incoming Trump administration, which had reached out to her directly regarding efforts to locate her son. “I have great hope that the Trump administration will sincerely engage in diligent work to bring Austin home,” she said. “His people have already reached out to me. I haven’t experienced that for the last four years.”
Austin Tice, now 43, was last seen in August 2012, and the U.S. government has long maintained that he is being held by the Syrian government. However, Syrian officials have consistently denied these claims. Over the years, Tice’s mother has visited Syria multiple times in efforts to meet with officials and seek information about her son’s fate, though her attempts to get visas were blocked in more recent years.
While Debra Tice did not provide any new information about her son’s current whereabouts, she expressed hope that with fresh leadership both in Syria and in the United States, the search efforts would gain momentum. "I look forward to working closely with his new team, including national security adviser Mike Waltz and Special Presidential Envoy Adam Boehler," Tice said.
Tice’s visit comes after her recent meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, the head of Syria’s new government, which took power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. During her time in Syria, Tice noted her optimism that the new leadership is committed to helping bring her son home. “It was so wonderful to learn that they are dedicated and determined to bring home my son,” she said.
The mother of the former journalist also reflected on her son’s deep affection for Syria, stating, “He came here as a journalist to tell the story of the Syrian people to the world, and in the process, fell in love with his beautiful country.” She added, “I have fallen in love with this beautiful country.”
Tice's trip coincided with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, a leader she has expressed support for in her pursuit to bring her son home. In contrast, she has been critical of the Biden administration, claiming that the previous government did not negotiate hard enough on her son’s behalf.
Tice, who will return to the U.S. on Tuesday, emphasized that she would continue to wait and hope for answers, allowing time for the new administration and leadership to make progress. “I will wait and pray and let the dust settle from all these page turns,” she said.