Steve Witkoff
Steven Charles Witkoff | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 15, 1957 Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, real estate entrepreneur, diplomat |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group; U.S. special envoy to the Middle East |
Steven Charles Witkoff (born March 15, 1957) is an American attorney and real estate entrepreneur who has held the position of United States special envoy to the Middle East since 2025. He is the founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group, a leading firm specializing in real estate development.
Originally from the Bronx and raised in Long Island, Witkoff completed his undergraduate studies in political science and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University. Starting his career as a real estate lawyer, he later shifted into property development, acquiring significant Manhattan assets such as the Daily News Building and the Woolworth Building. By May 2025, Forbes valued his net worth at approximately US$2 billion.
During the initial Trump administration, Witkoff participated in the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, which focused on mitigating the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In 2025, during Trump's second term, he was appointed as special envoy to the Middle East. Before officially assuming this role, he played a key part in brokering a ceasefire and hostage swap between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. Additionally, he has served as an informal envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Early life and education
Witkoff, who is Jewish, was born in New York City's Bronx borough and grew up in Baldwin Harbor and Old Westbury on Long Island. His father, Martin Witkoff, was president of George Simonton Inc., a company manufacturing women's apparel, while his mother, Lois Witkoff, worked as an interior designer. His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Russia.
He initially attended Union College before transferring to Hofstra University, where he graduated with a B.A. in political science in 1980. He then earned his J.D. from Hofstra Law School in 1983.
Private sector career
Witkoff began his professional journey as a real estate attorney. By November 2024, colleagues described him as intelligent, approachable, and an adept negotiator with relatable qualities.
Following law school, he joined Dreyer & Traub, representing clients including Donald Trump; their collaboration led to a friendship. Subsequently, he practiced real estate law at Rosenman & Colin until 1986.
Stellar Management
In 1985, Witkoff partnered with fellow Dreyer & Traub real estate lawyer Larry Gluck to establish Stellar Management — a name derived from combining Steve and Larry — marking their transition from legal practice to real estate ownership and management. They initially acquired affordable apartment complexes in Washington Heights, Manhattan and the Northwest Bronx, eventually controlling 85 buildings comprising over 3,000 units. By 1995, they expanded into lower Manhattan by purchasing office properties. In 1996, Witkoff arranged financing through Credit Suisse First Boston to acquire 33 Maiden Lane, a 27-story skyscraper designed by architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee; the following year he secured a 25-year lease for the top 13 floors with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Other notable purchases included the historic Daily News Building located in Manhattan's East Midtown.
Witkoff Group
In 1997, Witkoff departed from Stellar Management to establish and lead the privately owned Witkoff Group based in New York City, broadening its focus to include residential developments and land rehabilitation. The following year, he and his partner Rubin Schron acquired the Woolworth Building in Tribeca for $138 million and expanded their operations into cities such as Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia. By October 1998, the company controlled 11 million square feet of commercial and retail properties, had stakes in 7,500 residential units, and was involved in land and hotel projects. Although a $2 billion initial public offering was planned, it was canceled due to a downturn in the real estate market. Subsequently, Witkoff and Gluck ended their partnership—Gluck took ownership of residential assets, while Witkoff retained the office properties.
In 2013, Witkoff collaborated with Harry Macklowe to purchase the Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South for $660 million. That same year, Witkoff joined forces with Fisher Brothers to acquire land in Tribeca for $223 million to develop the 792-foot tall residential tower known as 111 Murray Street. By 2019, the Witkoff Group held ownership of approximately 50 properties across domestic and international markets.
The firm also took over the halted resort and casino project Fontainebleau Las Vegas for $600 million. Originally slated to open in 2020 as The Drew—named in memory of Witkoff's late son Andrew—construction was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada. In February 2021, Koch Real Estate Investments acquired the site; it resumed operations under its original name in December 2023.
Witkoff continues to maintain substantial business connections within the Middle East.
Political career
During Donald Trump's first term as president in April 2020, Witkoff became a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group, which was formed to mitigate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
In July 2024, Witkoff spoke on the fourth night of the 2024 Republican National Convention.
On September 15, 2024, while playing golf alongside Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, an assassination attempt on Trump took place. A Secret Service agent fired at the assailant who later fled but was subsequently captured.
On November 9, 2024, Witkoff was appointed co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee for Trump's second term alongside former US Senator Kelly Loeffler.
U.S. special envoy to the Middle East
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East despite his lack of prior diplomatic experience.
Witkoff played a pivotal role in brokering a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. He worked closely with President Biden's chief negotiator Brett McGurk and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. His straightforward negotiation approach contributed to securing a six-week ceasefire that included exchanging 33 hostages held by Hamas for roughly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, marking progress toward ending a conflict lasting over fifteen months.
With McGurk joining remotely from Qatar via speakerphone, Witkoff urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promptly finalize the agreement that had been under discussion for nearly a year. This unusual collaboration between competing U.S. administrations during sensitive diplomacy was highlighted by The New York Times.
On January 29, 2025, Witkoff made an uncommon visit to Gaza to personally oversee compliance with the ceasefire terms.
On March 2, 2025, Israel stopped goods shipments into Gaza citing a plan attributed to Witkoff; however, this had not been officially confirmed by Washington. Rather than implementing the original second phase of the ceasefire, Israel proposed what became known as the "Witkoff plan," which offered Hamas a 50-day extension of the ceasefire in return for releasing captives while retaining military options. Hamas declined this revised offer.
On March 23, Witkoff held Hamas responsible for renewed hostilities in Gaza, asserting they missed chances for demilitarization talks and truce negotiations.
In April 2025, Witkoff conducted an unpublicized meeting with Israeli officials in Paris ahead of U.S.-led nuclear discussions with Iran. On April 12, he spearheaded initial indirect talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman. Nevertheless, following Israeli airstrikes in Iran during June, these negotiations were suspended indefinitely.
On June 1, 2025, at least 32 civilians were killed by IDF forces at an aid center in Rafah. Pro-Palestinian groups referred to this event as the "Witkoff massacre," associating him with Israel’s control over humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza. Despite international criticism, on August 1 Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee visited the US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center.
Role in Negotiations with Russia
President Trump designated Witkoff as his unofficial representative to Russian President Vladimir Putin. By March 2025, Witkoff had become the main liaison connecting the Trump administration and the Kremlin.
On February 11, 2025, Trump dispatched Witkoff to Moscow, where he engaged directly with Putin and spearheaded talks that led to a prisoner exchange: American citizen Marc Fogel was freed from Russian detention in return for Russian national Alexander Vinnik. Witkoff characterized the rapport between Putin and Trump as a "strong friendship" that contributed positively to international stability. He mentioned spending considerable time with Putin during this confidential visit, fostering a "friendship and relationship."
Witkoff took part in diplomatic discussions between the U.S. and Russia aimed at resolving the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On February 16, he dismissed fears that Ukraine and European nations would be excluded from upcoming peace negotiations. Two days later, on February 18, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to establish a framework for peace talks; Witkoff accompanied Rubio along with U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
During a March 21 podcast interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff identified the "so-called four regions"—Donbas, Crimea, Lugansk, and two additional territories—as key points in the ongoing negotiations. These areas were annexed by Russia during its 2014 and 2022 invasions following referendums widely rejected as illegitimate by the U.S., Ukraine, and much of the global community. Witkoff asserted that these regions have predominantly Russian-speaking populations who favor Russian governance.
Witkoff expressed favorable views of Putin, describing him as a "great guy," "extremely intelligent," and "honest," emphasizing that he did not perceive Putin as malevolent. He recounted that Putin prayed for Trump after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania and presented Witkoff with a portrait of Trump painted by a prominent Russian artist to deliver to him.
Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, voiced that Ukrainians were "deeply troubled" by Witkoff's statements, suspecting they were influenced by Russian propaganda. U.S. Democratic Representative Seth Moulton condemned Witkoff's remarks as "irrational," accusing him of aligning with Russia. Journalist Stephen Pollard suggested that while Witkoff may have good intentions, he is overwhelmed when engaging with Putin.
Egypt
In March 2025, Witkoff cautioned that Israel’s conflict in Gaza could destabilize Middle Eastern nations such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He emphasized Egypt’s youth unemployment rate at 45% and described the country as financially insolvent, stating it "cannot continue like this" and "requires significant assistance."
Syria
Also in March 2025, Witkoff commented on potential shifts under Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, despite his previous connections to Al-Qaeda.
Israel and Palestine
In 2024, Witkoff criticized the Biden administration for suspending certain bomb shipments to Israel. He also observed that members of Hamas are "less ideologically extreme than portrayed" and praised Qatar for its mediation efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict. By March 2025, he stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prioritized eliminating Hamas over securing the release of Israeli hostages by continuing military operations in Gaza.
Russia and Ukraine
In 2018, Witkoff opposed the imposition of sanctions on Russia related to its occupation of Crimea. He has commended President Putin and reiterated narratives promoted by the Russian government concerning the conflict in Ukraine, including the view that NATO's actions instigated the hostilities and that a significant portion of Eastern Ukrainians favor Russian governance. Witkoff conveyed his belief that Putin has no intention of invading Europe or pursuing territorial expansion beyond the southeastern Ukrainian regions annexed.
Iran's nuclear program
Witkoff endorsed former President Trump's diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving issues surrounding Iran's nuclear ambitions, emphasizing that any agreement should require Iran to cease its nuclear enrichment activities.
Personal life
Witkoff has lived in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. In 1987, he married Lauren Jill Rappoport, who was then working as an associate at the Manhattan law firm Botein, Hays & Sklar. The couple has three sons. Tragically, their son Andrew passed away in 2011 from an OxyContin overdose while at a sober living facility in California. Their son Zach co-founded World Liberty Financial, a company specializing in cryptocurrency, whereas Alexander holds the position of co-CEO at the Witkoff Group.
In 2019, Witkoff moved his residence to Miami Beach, Florida. Since 2024, he has been publicly known to be in a relationship with Lauren Olaya, who frequently accompanies him.
Witkoff is a member of the executive committee for the Real Estate Board of New York and serves as a trustee for the Intrepid Foundation. Additionally, he has been part of Hofstra University’s board of trustees since 2015.
Advocacy
After losing his son Andrew to an opioid overdose in 2011, Witkoff became an active advocate for addiction awareness and recovery efforts. He notably addressed this issue during his speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention.