Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Last month, it emerged that the entire top security brass of U.S. President Donald Trump’s security team had discussed strike plans in Yemen over an encrypted Signal chat. One of the surprising names involved was Steve Witkoff, widely known as Trump’s personal envoy to the Middle East.
While there were conflicting reports about whether he used his private phone or, as he claims, a secured government device, the most striking detail was his location at the time: Moscow. That’s from where Witkoff sent a congratulatory message on the successful military operation against the Houthis.
2 View gallery
Trump administration Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and the men he is dealing with
(Photos: AFP/Ukrainian presidency, Mandel Ngan/AFP, Joe Raedle/Getty Images North America/AFP, Mark Schiefelbein/AP, Iranian Le)
Less than three months into his appointment, Witkoff has become Trump’s go-to emissary on global matters. His major role in brokering the January hostage deal only solidified his status in Trump’s eyes—status that already had him on speed dial. In February, Witkoff quietly traveled to Russia to negotiate a prisoner exchange that resulted in the release of Marc Fogel, an American history teacher detained in Russia since August 2021 and sentenced to 14 years over marijuana possession that his family says was medical.
Witkoff finalized the deal and flew Fogel home aboard his private jet. “He’s such a dynamic person,” Fogel said of Witkoff, who later delivered remarks at the White House. “From the moment I met him, his energy, his demeanor, his capabilities—they just radiate.”
Just a week later, Witkoff led a quiet summit in Saudi Arabia between senior U.S. and Russian officials to discuss the war in Ukraine. In mid-March, he was back in Moscow—this time for a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin. This coming Saturday, Witkoff is set to lead the American delegation in critical nuclear talks with Iran in Oman—negotiations that Trump publicly revealed during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.
That flurry of diplomatic activity leaves open the question of what progress has been made on freeing the 59 hostages still held by Hamas. There’s no clear answer—Trump’s agenda is famously erratic and prone to sudden shifts. For Witkoff, however, it remains a top priority. He continues working on the issue behind the scenes, though it’s been over a month since any confirmed reports have surfaced about renewed ceasefire talks or new negotiations.
Trump is known to lose interest quickly and often craves fresh challenges, but even during his first term he showed a deep commitment to bringing American hostages home. There was even a separate attempt to secure a deal for Edan Alexander, an American citizen still held in Gaza, though that effort appears to have been dormant for weeks. Still, if anyone in Trump’s circle is keeping the hostage issue alive, it’s Witkoff.
The sandwich that sparked a friendship
Witkoff’s appointment at age 67 as Trump’s Middle East envoy came as little surprise. The two have been close since 1986, when Witkoff was a young real estate lawyer at a New York firm representing Trump. Their first encounter came in a deli—Trump didn’t have cash on him, so Witkoff bought him a ham sandwich.
Witkoff accepted the role out of loyalty to Trump and belief that “there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a deal.” His pragmatism was evident in his collaboration with Brett McGurk, President Joe Biden’s former envoy, to help secure the earlier hostage agreement.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The son of a women’s coat manufacturer, Witkoff was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island. Trained as a lawyer, he transitioned to real estate in the 1980s. He married Lauren Rapoport, and the couple has three sons: Zach, Alex and Andrew. His son Alex has said that Trump was “one of the greatest inspirations” behind his father’s move from law into real estate.
live
WITKOFF LANDS IN DOHA
(ILTV)
In 1997, Witkoff founded the Witkoff Group, which made him a multimillionaire—though by Trump standards and those of his billionaire circle, his fortune is considered modest. Two and a half years ago, he hosted his eldest son Zach’s wedding at Mar-a-Lago, with Donald and Melania Trump in attendance. He remains extremely close to the president, even playing golf with him on the same day last September when an alleged second assassination attempt on Trump was thwarted.
All of this underscores that Witkoff follows Trump’s lead to the letter—and it’s unclear whether the hostage issue still holds the president’s attention. On the other hand, it may be no small blessing that someone so close to Trump is still fighting to keep it on the table.