Trump Appoints Real Estate Mogul Witkoff as Middle East Envoy, Hails Ceasefire Successes

Former President Donald Trump officially appointed Steve Witkoff, a prominent real estate businessman, as his special envoy to the Middle East. The swearing-in ceremony, conducted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, took place in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Trump lauded Witkoff’s prior involvement in diplomatic efforts, specifically highlighting his role in securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and facilitating the release of 33 hostages, including two American citizens.

Trump expressed his unwavering confidence in Witkoff, stating that he had been involved in the negotiations "every step of the way." He emphasized Witkoff’s ability to secure crucial agreements in foreign diplomacy, not only concerning the Israeli-Hamas conflict but also potentially mediating between Ukraine and Russia.

Despite Witkoff’s background in real estate, Trump asserted that he had "quickly established himself as one of the toughest, smartest and best negotiators in the business," making him the ideal candidate for the special envoy position. He further praised Witkoff’s admired and respected status within the business community, suggesting this would translate well into his diplomatic role. "Our country is blessed to have a negotiator of such skill and experience who really selflessly steps up to the plate, puts himself forward all the time," Trump added.

Acknowledging Witkoff’s initial unfamiliarity with foreign government relations, Trump remarked that he had "been figuring it out" at an extraordinary pace. "It takes him about an hour to figure it out," Trump quipped, "After that, he’s brutal. He does a great job."

Trump emphasized Witkoff’s proactive engagement in recent months, noting his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and leaders from Iran. "He’s working tirelessly to end the bloody and destructive conflicts," Trump declared, emphasizing Witkoff’s progress in negotiations with various international leaders.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Trump addressed reporters, fielding questions on diverse topics, including the newly announced ceasefire between the U.S. and the Houthis. Responding to conflicting reports suggesting the Houthis would not cease attacks on Israel, Trump stated that the terror group’s surrogates had indicated "very strongly" their disinterest in engaging with the United States.

Trump also addressed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, focusing on the release of the remaining 21 living hostages. "This is a terrible situation. We’re trying to get the hostages out. We’ve gotten a lot of them out," Trump told reporters, stressing the importance of recovering the remains of hostages killed by Hamas.

He recounted a poignant encounter with parents whose son had died while held hostage. "Please, sir, my son is dead. Please get us back his body," Trump quoted them as saying. "They wanted his body. He’s dead. They know. He said they wanted his body as much as you would want the boy if he was alive. It’s a very sad thing."

Trump addressed the issue of Iran’s potential development of nuclear weapons, asserting unequivocally, "They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon." He described the current period as "crunch time" for Iran, urging them to make decisions that would benefit their country. "This is the most important time in the history of Iran, for Iran, and I hope they do what’s right," Trump stated.

He expressed a desire for a peaceful resolution and a prosperous future for Iran. "I’d love to see a peace deal, a strong peace deal… We want it to be a successful country," he said. "We don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that. But they can’t have a nuclear weapon. And if they choose to go a different route, it’s going to be a very sad thing. And it’s something we don’t want to have to do, but we have no choice."

The appointment of Witkoff signals Trump’s renewed focus on achieving diplomatic breakthroughs in the Middle East, leveraging his business acumen and perceived negotiation skills to address complex geopolitical challenges. The emphasis on securing the release of hostages and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons reflects key priorities for the administration.