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 battle and Russian-Ukraine battle.
Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs
disguise caption
toggle caption
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 battle in Ukraine, one of many American seats on the desk was crammed by Steve Witkoff.
A New York actual property mogul and longtime buddy 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 function” in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. He advised 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 instructor Marc Fogel — who had spent three and a half years in Russian jail — and flew him again to the U.S. on his personal jet. (In alternate, the U.S. launched a convicted Russian cash launderer.)
“What a dynamic man this man is,” Fogel stated of Witkoff, talking on the White Home after his launch. “Once I met him, the power, the can-do perspective simply exudes from his physique.”
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 actual property growth and funding agency the Witkoff Group in 1997. He stays its chairman.
“Since founding the agency, Mr. Witkoff has leveraged his intensive actual property experience to efficiently lead the financing, repositioning, and building of over 70 properties in main enterprise districts within the U.S. in addition to overseas and with places of work 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 youngsters 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 expensive buddy” and extolled his compassion.
“I stand earlier than you tonight not simply as a speaker, not simply as somebody who got here up as a builder with the president on the planet of actual property, however as somebody who has had the profound privilege of calling President Donald J. Trump a real and expensive buddy for a lot of, a few years, in good instances and dangerous instances,” he stated.
A kind of dangerous instances, he stated in his speech, was the 2011 loss of life of his son Andrew from an opioid overdose — including, “as regular, Donald Trump confirmed 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 profitable man” and “considered one of my nice associates over time.”
U.S. Center East envoy Steve Witkoff, far left, attends a gathering with dignitaries together with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Saudi International Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Evelyn Hockstein/AP/Pool Reuters
disguise caption
toggle caption
Evelyn Hockstein/AP/Pool Reuters
Witkoff and Trump are longtime golf buddies
Witkoff and Trump turned associates 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 stated, in response to Courthouse Information.
He stated Trump remembered “the sandwich incident” when the 2 crossed paths once more seven or eight years later, and have been associates ever since.
Witkoff can also be an avid golfer, an curiosity he shares with the president. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., advised NBC Information in January that he and Witkoff “can be the 2 guys who would play Trump and anyone else, and lose.”
Witkoff was {golfing} with Trump at his West Palm Seaside, Fla., course on the time of the obvious assassination try in opposition to the then-presidential candidate, in September. Witkoff later advised NBC Information he doubted the incident would maintain Trump away from the golf course, which he referred to as his buddy’s “blissful 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 outdoor advisor on tax cuts, opioids and reopening companies through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washington Publish reported that the Trump marketing campaign “continuously dispatched Witkoff to enhance relations with Trump’s Republican rivals” — together with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley — through the 2024 marketing campaign.
Days after successful reelection in November, Trump introduced his appointment of Witkoff to the function of particular envoy to the Center East.
“Steve is a Extremely Revered Chief in Enterprise and Philanthropy, who has made each mission and group he has been concerned with stronger and extra affluent,” Trump stated. “Steve will likely 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 cope with a high-priority difficulty or area. Particular envoys are probably topic to Senate affirmation as of 2023, although Witkoff didn’t undergo that course of.
Graham advised NBC Information that Trump made the appointment after Witkoff — who’s Jewish — broached the concept of engaged on Center East points over lunch.
“That shocked me as a result of I did not know he was that within the Mideast,” Graham stated. “And Trump checked out me and stated, ‘Effectively, one million folks have tried. Let’s decide a pleasant man who’s a sensible man.'”
