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President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will appoint Steven Witkoff to serve as Special Envoy to the Middle East.
Trump shared the news in a statement posted to his Truth Social account on Tuesday.
“I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Steven C. Witkoff to be Special Envoy to the Middle 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. Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud,” Trump wrote.
Witkoff was born into a Jewish family in the Bronx and grew up in Baldwin Harbor, New York. In September, while playing golf with Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Witkoff was present during the second suspected assassination attempt on Trump.
He is the Chairman and CEO of the Witkoff Group, a real estate development firm he established in 1997. Under his leadership, the company has successfully financed, repositioned, and developed over 70 properties in prominent business districts across the U.S. and internationally, with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, according to Israel National News.
Before founding Witkoff Group, he co-founded Stellar Management, where he oversaw the acquisition and renovation of numerous residential buildings in New York City. Earlier in his career, he worked as a real estate attorney at Dreyer & Traub and Rosenman & Colin, representing major developers and investors.
Witkoff was also appointed by Trump to serve as co-chair of his presidential inaugural committee, alongside former Senator Kelly Loeffler from Georgia.
The news adds to a growing list of announcements regarding the leaders in Trump’s new administration. He also said on Tuesday that he will nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth serve as the nation’s Secretary of Defense.
“I am honored to announce that I have nominated Pete Hegseth to serve in my Cabinet as The Secretary of Defense. Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump posted to Truth Social.
Trump also announced that he will nominate former Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee to serve as the nation’s Ambassador to Israel.
“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”
