Donald Trump appoints Lebanese-American Massad Boulos, father of one of his sons-in-law, as adviser for the Middle East

Politics, business, family. Donald Trump appointed, on Saturday, Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law and former advisor Jared Kushner, as United States ambassador to France. The president-elect announced, Sunday 1^is December, that the American-Lebanese businessman Massad Boulos would be his main adviser for the Middle East.

“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected business leader (…). He has been a long-time advocate of Republican and conservative values, an asset to my campaign, and has been instrumental in building great new coalitions with the Arab American community. Massad is a good negotiator and a steadfast supporter of PEACE in the Middle East. He will be a staunch defender of the United States and its interests”wrote Donald Trump on Truth Social, while the conflict between Israel and Hamas has undermined the region for more than a year.

Mr. Boulos built his fortune selling automobiles in Nigeria. The marriage in 2022 of his son Michael Boulos to one of Donald Trump's daughters, Tiffany, propelled him into the inner circle of the billionaire newly elected to the White House. He actively took part in the presidential campaign, getting involved in convincing the Arab community in certain key states to vote for Mr. Trump. A Maronite Christian, Mr. Boulos had tried to be elected as a parliamentarian in Lebanon, without success. During the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump repeatedly said he would end the conflict between Israel and Hamas, without ever revealing a plan to do so.

The announcement of Mr. Boulos' appointment comes a few days after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite Islamist movement allied with Hamas and Iran. A few days before the American presidential election, Massad Boulos revealed that he would be the American referent for Lebanon in the new administration, and that he will be responsible for negotiating with Beirut to obtain a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah. “I will be responsible for negotiating with the Lebanese side to reach an agreement, and Trump will appoint someone who is familiar with the Israeli file to negotiate with the Israelis”he told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed.