Trump taps billionaire family member Massad Boulos for senior presidential adviser on Arab affairs role
President-elect Donald Trump has announced for the second time in two days that he will appoint a family member to a top position in the government.
This time, Trump says he will bring in Massad Boulos, Tiffany Trump’s billionaire father-in-law, as a senior Middle East adviser at the White House.
Boulos played a role in Trump’s efforts to win over Arab-American voters in battleground states, touting his efforts to end wars in the Arabic language. job interviews with Lebanese media.
Born in Lebanon, he moved to Texas as a teenager and ran his family’s business conglomerate in Nigeria. Now he will counsel his powerful relative at a time of spreading conflict around the Middle East, including the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the stunning capture of Aleppo in Syria by a rebel group.
“I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as the President’s Senior Advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.
“Massad is an experienced lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the international stage. He has been a long-time advocate of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building great new coalitions with the Arab American Community.”
Trump called him a “dealmaker” and an “unwavering” supporter of peace in the Middle East.
The announcement comes just a day after Trump made the shock announcement that he will nominate son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father Charles as US ambassador to France.
Donald Trump has announced that Massad Boulos, daughter Tiffany Trump’s father-in-law, will serve as a senior adviser on the Middle East
Trump pardoned Charles Kushner in the final days of his administration following his conviction for federal tax and campaign finance crimes. He was sentenced to two years in prison for tax fraud, of which fourteen months.
He was also sensationally accused of hiring a prostitute for $25,000 to seduce his brother-in-law, and sending a videotape of the event to his sister. He later admitted that he witnessed tampering.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who prosecuted the case as U.S. attorney, said at the time: “It doesn’t matter how rich and powerful you are or how poor and powerless you are, if you enforce federal law in the District of New Jersey or if you corrupt our political system, this office will bring you to justice.”
He called Charles’ crimes the “most disgusting, disgusting crimes” he had ever prosecuted.
Trump called Kushner, with whom he worked as a fellow real estate developer in New York, a “great business leader, philanthropist, [and] dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate for representing our country and its interests.”
“Congratulations to Charlie, his wonderful wife Seryl, their four children and fourteen grandchildren,” wrote the politician, the first in the family. “Together we will strengthen America’s partnership with France, our oldest ally and one of our greatest allies!”
Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump were key White House advisers during Trump’s first term. The pair has largely withdrawn from his campaign.
MARLA MAPPLES, MICHAEL BOULOS, TIFFANY TRUMP, MICHAEL BOULOS PARENTS SARAH BOULOS AND DR. Massad Boulos
Trump, 78, announced Saturday afternoon that Charles (pictured here with sons Josh and Jared) will serve as the U.S. ambassador to France. The former president pardoned Charles in 2020. The father of four was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for a tax fraud conviction
Son Donald Trump Jr. serves as honorary chairman of Trump’s transition and contributed as an advisor to Trump’s choice of JD Vance as his running mate.
Tiffany Trump, a lawyer whose mother is Marla Maples, married Michael Boulos in 2022 at Mar-a-Lago.
Barron, the son of Trump and former first lady Melania Trump, stood by his side at Mar-a-Lago, along with ‘adopted’ son Elon Musk, the richest man in the world.