Mother of missing Marine veteran calls Trump admin a 'breath of fresh air' as she continues 12-year search

Debra Tice has spent much than 12 years searching for her son, Austin Tice, a Marine seasoned and writer who was kidnapped successful Syria successful August 2012. Through 4 statesmanlike administrations, she has not mislaid anticipation that her lad volition travel location alive. In fact, she calls the caller Trump medication a "breath of caller air."

"They are reasoning astir what they request to do, making suggestions, lasting ready, having ideas. The load isn’t connected maine the mode it has been successful the past," Tice told Fox News Digital, referring to the Trump administration.

The Marine veteran’s mother’s archetypal travel backmost to Damascus, Syria, successful implicit 10 years comes connected the heels of a gyration wrong the war-torn country. Debra Tice has been successful Syra for lone a fewer days, but has already managed to conscionable with the country’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the radical that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.

"It was truly rather a astonishment that we were capable to get a gathering with al-Sharaa. It was a precise bully meeting," Tice said.

SYRIA RESCUE-MISSION OPERATOR BELIEVES AUSTIN TICE IS ALIVE AND WILL BE FOUND SOON

In this photograph released by Syrian authorities quality bureau SANA, Syria's de facto person Ahmad al-Sharaa, right, meets with Debra Tice, the parent of American writer Austin Tice, who went missing successful Syria successful 2012, left, and Nizar Zakka, caput of non-profit Hostage Aid Worldwide, center, successful Damascus, Syria, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (SANA via AP)

Hostage Aid Worldwide, a non-profit enactment coordinating Tice’s sojourn to Syria, was capable to instrumentality her wrong immoderate of the prisons that person been abandoned since the autumn of Assad. She said that seeing the conditions successful these prisons was "really challenging," but that she appreciated getting a consciousness of "what Austin was up against."

Tice besides issued a situation to those successful the US authorities who "feel similar Austin tin wait" to spell spot the prisons for themselves.

"I deliberation if they had to travel implicit present – and I wouldn’t adjacent inquire them to walk the nighttime successful 1 of those prisons – but I deliberation if they had gone to spot what helium whitethorn person gone through, possibly they would’ve been much motivated to get Austin retired of there."

TREY YINGST ENTERS ABANDONED SYRIAN DETENTION SITE IN SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICAN JOURNALIST AUSTIN TICE

Debra Tice, parent of missing U.S. writer Austin Tice who disappeared portion reporting successful Syria successful August 2012, attends a property league arsenic she urged President Donald Trump to assistance uncover her son's destiny successful Damascus, Syria connected Jan. 20, 2025. (Bekir Kasim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During a press conference connected Monday, Tice offered praise for the incoming Trump medication and confirmed that they "already reached out" regarding Austin’s case.

"I haven’t experienced that successful the past 4 years, but I americium optimistic astir their assistance and involvement. I judge they volition enactment quickly," Tice said.

Tice besides utilized the property league to nonstop an affectional connection to her missing son.

"Austin, if you tin perceive this somehow, I emotion you. I cognize you won’t springiness up, and I won’t springiness up either," Tice said.

Tice says she has "never had immoderate uncertainty astir the information that Austin is going to locomotion free. It’s a substance of time, and successful my religion it’s God’s timing.

When speaking astir her anticipation and optimism astir uncovering her son, Tice credited her religion "one 100 per cent." She added that, "if I didn’t person my faith, I conscionable deliberation I would crumble into a clump of truly tiny pieces."

COLLAPSE OF SYRIA’S ASSAD REGIME RENEWS US PUSH TO FIND AUSTIN TICE

The State Department's Reward for Justice programme is offering $10 cardinal for accusation relating to locating Austin Tice. 12/9/2024 (The State Department's Reward for Justice)

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "intensive efforts are inactive underway to find Austin Tice." Additionally, the spokesperson said that the section is "working to get US officials into Damascus" to assistance successful the search, but is waiting for confirmation that the"conditions are harmless and section authorities tin accommodate the visit."

"We person utilized applicable information, arsenic good arsenic declassified intelligence, to pass the hunt efforts of Syrian and planetary partners connected the crushed successful Damascus who are searching for Austin each day," the spokesperson added.

"They person visited and searched galore now-uncovered concealed prisons, but to day they person not recovered Austin oregon immoderate further accusation that would assistance america find him."

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Last month, aft receiving a missive from Debra Tice, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to inquire Assad for assistance uncovering Austin. However, arsenic of now, determination are nary signs that this has happened.