US President Donald Trump has hosted 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams at the White House, weeks after promising to honour the teenager for rescuing a 10-year-old boy from dangerous waves off the California coast.

The White House shared footage of the meeting on Monday, showing Trump welcoming Williams and highlighting the teenager’s actions during the dramatic rescue.

“President Trump hosts the 16-year-old lifeguard, Ryder Williams, who saved a 10-year-old boy from rough waves, and shares what he hopes people take away from Ryder’s act of heroism,” the White House said in a post accompanying the video.

Speaking to Williams, Trump praised the teenager’s conduct, saying, “You brought tremendous grace and experience… it’s so amazing to see this happen.”

See the video here:

𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟎-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬

Credit: X | FoxNews
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The White House meeting follows Trump’s earlier pledge to bring Williams and his family to Washington after footage of the rescue went viral.

PUNCH Online reported in July that Trump had promised to host the teenager and the boy he rescued at the White House and present Williams with a high civilian honour.

“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump had said at the time.

PUNCH Online reports that the rescue took place at Seabright State Beach near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in California after powerful waves swept the boy further into the ocean during dangerous surf conditions.

Video of the incident showed Williams repeatedly diving through crashing waves while holding on to the struggling child. A second lifeguard and beachgoers later joined the effort before the boy was brought safely back to shore.

Williams’ mother had previously said her son was simply doing the job he loved, according to PUNCH’s earlier report.

The White House meeting now marks the latest development in a rescue that drew widespread attention and prompted Trump’s decision to publicly recognise the teenager’s bravery.

Tosin Oyediran

Tosin Oyediran is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over eight years of professional experience in reporting and storytelling. He is known for conducting incisive interviews and producing compelling human-angle stories that bring clarity and depth to the news. Tosin covers a broad range of beats including politics, health, advocacy, sports, and entertainment, with a strong focus on people-centred reporting. His work reflects firsthand newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a commitment to accurate, engaging, and trustworthy journalism.