When top-level U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, one of the American seats at the table was filled by Steve Witkoff.
A New York real estate mogul and longtime friend of President Trump, Witkoff had little formal diplomatic experience before Trump named him a special envoy to the Middle East ahead of his second term.
In recent weeks, Witkoff has been credited with playing "a key role" in brokering the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. He told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures that he had "very, very productive and constructive calls" with Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials over the weekend about the second phase of the deal.
At the same time, Witkoff's focus appears to be expanding far beyond the Middle East.
Last week, Witkoff became the first known high-level U.S. official to travel to Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He helped secure the release of American teacher Marc Fogel — who had spent three and a half years in Russian prison — and flew him back to the U.S. on his private jet. (In exchange, the U.S. released a convicted Russian money launderer.)
"What a dynamic man this guy is," Fogel said of Witkoff, speaking at the White House after his release. "When I met him, the energy, the can-do attitude just exudes from his body."
Here's what else to know about him.
Witkoff made his fortune in real estate
The Bronx-born Witkoff, 67, graduated from Hofstra University and practiced real estate law before founding the real estate development and investment firm the Witkoff Group in 1997. He remains 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 also brought his kids into his business: His son Alex is the Witkoff Group's CEO, and his son Zach is the executive vice president of development. Zach welcomed a son in December 2024, naming him Don James after the president — another sign of the close ties between the families.
In a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention, Witkoff called 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 said.
One of those bad times, he said in his speech, was the 2011 death of his son Andrew from an opioid overdose — adding, "as usual, Donald Trump showed up." Once in office, the president invited Witkoff to speak at a 2018 White House opioid summit to honor his son's memory.
At that event, Trump called Witkoff a "tremendously successful man" and "one of my great friends over the years."
Witkoff and Trump are longtime golf buddies
Witkoff and Trump became friends after working together on a deal in 1986, Witkoff recalled while testifying in Trump's 2023 fraud trial.
The two went out to a New York City deli, but Trump didn't have cash with him at the time.
"I ordered him a ham and Swiss," Witkoff said, according to Courthouse News.
He said Trump remembered "the sandwich incident" when the two crossed paths again seven or eight years later, and have been friends ever since.
Witkoff is also an avid golfer, an interest he shares with the president. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC News 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 Beach, Fla., course at the time of the apparent assassination attempt against the then-presidential candidate, in September. Witkoff later told NBC News he doubted the incident would keep Trump away from the golf course, which he called his friend's "happy place."
Witkoff has supported Trump financially and politically
Witkoff contributed to Trump's administration in tangible ways, even before he was officially a part of it.
ProPublica reported in 2021 that Witkoff had donated more than $2 million to Trump's political action groups and during his first term served as an outside advisor on tax cuts, opioids and reopening businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Washington Post reported that the Trump campaign "frequently dispatched Witkoff to improve relations with Trump's Republican rivals" — including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley — during the 2024 campaign.
Days after winning reelection in November, Trump announced his appointment of Witkoff to the role of 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," Trump said. "Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."
Presidents and secretaries of state can appoint special envoys as their personal representatives to deal with a high-priority issue or region. Special envoys are potentially subject to Senate confirmation as of 2023, though Witkoff did not go through that process.
Graham told NBC News that Trump made the appointment after Witkoff — who is Jewish — broached the idea of working on Middle East issues over lunch.
"That stunned me because I didn't know he was that interested in the Mideast," Graham said. "And Trump looked at me and said, 'Well, a million people have tried. Let's pick a nice guy who's a smart guy.'"
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