Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff | |
|---|---|
Witkoff in May 2025 | |
| 1st United States Special Envoy to the Middle East | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Morgan Ortagus |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Steven Charles Witkoff March 15, 1957 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Lauren Rappoport (m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Hofstra University (BA, JD) |
Steven Charles Witkoff (born March 15, 1957) is an American diplomat, lawyer and real estate investor who has served as the United States special envoy to the Middle East since 2025. He is the founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group, a real estate development firm.
Born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, Witkoff earned a B.A. in political science and a J.D. from Hofstra University. After starting his career as a real estate attorney, he shifted to property development, acquiring prominent buildings in Manhattan, including the Daily News Building and the Woolworth Building. As of May 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$2 billion.
During the first Trump administration, Witkoff was a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, created to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In 2025, during Trump’s second term, he was appointed special envoy to the Middle East. Before formally taking office, he participated in negotiations that led to a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. He has also acted as a de facto envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin.