Steve Witkoff, U.S. particular envoy to the Center East, pictured within the Oval Workplace earlier this month. He has been concerned in negotiations over the Israel-Hamas struggle and Russian-Ukraine struggle.
Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs
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Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs
When top-level U.S. and Russian officers met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to debate the struggle in Ukraine, one of many American seats on the desk was crammed by Steve Witkoff.
A New York actual property mogul and longtime good friend of President Trump, Witkoff had little formal diplomatic expertise earlier than Trump named him a particular envoy to the Center East forward of his second time period.
In latest weeks, Witkoff has been credited with taking part in “a key role” in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. He instructed Fox Information’ Sunday Morning Futures that he had “very, very productive and constructive calls” with Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officers over the weekend concerning the second part of the deal.
On the similar time, Witkoff’s focus seems to be increasing far past the Center East.
Final week, Witkoff turned the primary identified high-level U.S. official to journey to Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He helped safe the discharge of American trainer Marc Fogel — who had spent three and a half years in Russian jail — and flew him again to the U.S. on his non-public jet. (In alternate, the U.S. launched a convicted Russian cash launderer.)
“What a dynamic man this guy is,” Fogel mentioned of Witkoff, talking on the White Home after his launch. “When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body.”
Here is what else to learn about him.
Witkoff made his fortune in actual property
The Bronx-born Witkoff, 67, graduated from Hofstra College and practiced actual property regulation earlier than founding the true property growth and funding agency the Witkoff Group in 1997. He stays its chairman.
“Since founding the firm, Mr. Witkoff has leveraged his extensive real estate expertise to successfully lead the financing, repositioning, and construction of over 70 properties in major business districts in the U.S. as well as abroad and with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami,” his biography reads.
Forbes estimated Witkoff’s wealth at $1 billion in 2024.
Like Trump, Witkoff additionally introduced his children into his enterprise: His son Alex is the Witkoff Group’s CEO, and his son Zach is the chief vice chairman of growth. Zach welcomed a son in December 2024, naming him Don James after the president — one other signal of the shut ties between the households.
In a speech on the 2024 Republican Nationwide Conference, Witkoff referred to as Trump “my dear friend” and extolled his compassion.
“I stand before you tonight not just as a speaker, not just as someone who came up as a builder with the president in the world of real estate, but as someone who has had the profound privilege of calling President Donald J. Trump a true and dear friend for many, many years, in good times and bad times,” he mentioned.
A kind of unhealthy occasions, he mentioned in his speech, was the 2011 dying of his son Andrew from an opioid overdose — including, “as usual, Donald Trump showed up.” As soon as in workplace, the president invited Witkoff to talk at a 2018 White Home opioid summit to honor his son’s reminiscence.
At that occasion, Trump referred to as Witkoff a “tremendously successful man” and “one of my great friends over the years.”
U.S. Center East envoy Steve Witkoff, far left, attends a gathering with dignitaries together with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Saudi Overseas Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Evelyn Hockstein/AP/Pool Reuters
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Evelyn Hockstein/AP/Pool Reuters
Witkoff and Trump are longtime golf buddies
Witkoff and Trump turned pals after working collectively on a deal in 1986, Witkoff recalled whereas testifying in Trump’s 2023 fraud trial.
The 2 went out to a New York Metropolis deli, however Trump did not have money with him on the time.
“I ordered him a ham and Swiss,” Witkoff mentioned, based on Courthouse Information.
He mentioned Trump remembered “the sandwich incident” when the 2 crossed paths once more seven or eight years later, and have been pals ever since.
Witkoff can be an avid golfer, an curiosity he shares with the president. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., instructed NBC Information in January that he and Witkoff “would be the two guys who would play Trump and somebody else, and lose.”
Witkoff was {golfing} with Trump at his West Palm Seaside, Fla., course on the time of the obvious assassination try towards the then-presidential candidate, in September. Witkoff later instructed NBC Information he doubted the incident would preserve Trump away from the golf course, which he referred to as his good friend’s “happy place.”
Witkoff has supported Trump financially and politically
Witkoff contributed to Trump’s administration in tangible methods, even earlier than he was formally part of it.
ProPublica reported in 2021 that Witkoff had donated greater than $2 million to Trump’s political motion teams and through his first time period served as an out of doors advisor on tax cuts, opioids and reopening companies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washington Publish reported that the Trump marketing campaign “frequently dispatched Witkoff to improve relations with Trump’s Republican rivals” — together with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley — throughout the 2024 marketing campaign.
Days after profitable reelection in November, Trump introduced his appointment of Witkoff to the position of particular envoy to the Center East.
“Steve is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy, who has made every project and community he has been involved with stronger and more prosperous,” Trump mentioned. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.”
Presidents and secretaries of state can appoint particular envoys as their private representatives to take care of a high-priority challenge or area. Particular envoys are doubtlessly topic to Senate affirmation as of 2023, although Witkoff didn’t undergo that course of.
Graham instructed NBC Information that Trump made the appointment after Witkoff — who’s Jewish — broached the concept of engaged on Center East points over lunch.
“That stunned me because I didn’t know he was that interested in the Mideast,” Graham mentioned. “And Trump looked at me and said, ‘Well, a million people have tried. Let’s pick a nice guy who’s a smart guy.'”
