Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland: From a Diplomat Family to the Front Line of Opposition to Trump
Chris Van Hollen is a Democratic senator from the US state of Maryland. He has been in Congress since 2003. He rose to prominence through his opposition during President Donald Trump's second term and is now seeking to lead Democrats in the Senate. He is known for his anti-war positions and for championing progressive causes.
Van Hollen was born in 1959 in Karachi, Pakistan. His father was a US Foreign Service officer who later served as deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs. His mother worked at the Central Intelligence Agency and the US State Department.
In April 2025, Van Hollen drew attention when he travelled to El Salvador to meet Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident mistakenly deported by the Trump administration. After that case, Abrego Garcia was ultimately returned to the United States.
In September 2025, Van Hollen forced a vote on a resolution that would have required the Trump administration to report on the killing of nine Americans in the occupied West Bank and on Israel's treatment of Palestinian children in military detention. The resolution failed 47-53, with senators voting largely along party lines.
Earlier, in August 2025, Van Hollen accompanied US Senator Jeff Merkley to the Rafah crossing at Egypt's border with Gaza, as Israel resisted attempts to allow humanitarian aid delivery to Palestinians in the enclave.
Van Hollen has been one of the foremost advocates for ending Israel's war in Gaza and its violations in the occupied West Bank. He has consistently pushed for strict accountability for Israeli actions and for conditioning US military assistance to Israel.
