History of Steve Witkoff in Timeline

Steven Charles Witkoff is an American real estate investor, lawyer, and diplomat currently serving as the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East. He is the founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group, a real estate development firm. Witkoff started as a real estate attorney before moving into property investment and development. He's known for acquiring significant properties such as the Daily News Building, Woolworth Building, 33 Maiden Lane, and the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan. He also maintains substantial business connections in the Middle East.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

March 15, 1957: Steven Witkoff Born

On March 15, 1957, Steven Charles Witkoff was born. He is an American real estate investor, lawyer, and diplomat.

Others born on this day/year

1980: Earned B.A. from Hofstra University

In 1980, Witkoff earned a B.A. from Hofstra University.

1983: Worked at Dreyer & Traub and Met Donald Trump

After graduating from law school in 1983, Witkoff worked for the New York City real estate law firm Dreyer & Traub, where he met and became friends with Donald Trump.

1983: Graduated from Hofstra Law School

In 1983, Witkoff graduated with a J.D. from Hofstra Law School.

1985: Co-founded Stellar Management

In 1985, Witkoff co-founded Stellar Management with Larry Gluck, shifting his career to real estate ownership and management.

1986: Practiced law at Rosenman & Colin

Through 1986, Witkoff practiced real estate law at the New York City law firm Rosenman & Colin.

1987: Married Lauren Jill Rappoport

In 1987, Witkoff married Lauren Jill Rappoport, who was an associate at a Manhattan law firm.

1995: Expanded into Lower Manhattan

In 1995, Witkoff expanded his real estate ventures into lower Manhattan, buying several inexpensive office buildings.

1996: Financing Secured for 33 Maiden Lane Purchase

In 1996, Witkoff secured financing from Credit Suisse First Boston to purchase 33 Maiden Lane, a 27-story tower.

1997: Founded Witkoff Group

In 1997, Witkoff left Stellar Management and founded the Witkoff Group, expanding into residential construction and rehab.

October 1998: Witkoff Group's Operations

By October 1998, the Witkoff Group operated 11 million square feet of commercial and retail real estate, and held an ownership interest in 7,500 apartments and a number of land and hotel development transactions.

2011: Son Andrew's Death

In 2011, Witkoff's 22-year-old son Andrew died of an OxyContin overdose at a sober living facility in California.

2013: Park Lane Hotel Purchase

In 2013, Witkoff and Harry Macklowe purchased the Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South in Manhattan for $660 million.

2014: Owned 30 Properties

As of 2014, Witkoff owned 30 properties in the United States and in London.

2015: Trustee of Hofstra University

Since 2015, Witkoff has been on the board of trustees of Hofstra University.

2018: Expressed Opposition to Sanctions Against Russia

In 2018, Witkoff expressed opposition to sanctions against Russia.

2019: Witkoff Group Owned Almost 50 Properties

As of 2019, the Witkoff Group owned almost 50 properties in the United States and internationally.

2019: Relocated to Florida

In 2019, Witkoff relocated from New York City to Florida, settling in Miami Beach.

March 2020: Construction Stopped at The Drew

In March 2020, construction on The Drew (Fontainebleau Las Vegas) was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada.

April 2020: Member of Great American Economic Revival Industry Group

In April 2020, during Donald Trump's first presidency, Witkoff was a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

2020: Member of Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups

In 2020, during Donald Trump's presidency, Witkoff was a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, which were formed to address the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

February 2021: Koch Real Estate Investments purchased Fontainebleau Las Vegas

In February 2021, Koch Real Estate Investments purchased the Fontainebleau Las Vegas property.

December 2023: Fontainebleau Las Vegas Opened

In December 2023, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel opened, having been developed at a cost of $3.7 billion.

July 2024: Spoke at Republican National Convention

In July 2024, Witkoff gave a speech on night four of the Republican National Convention.

September 15, 2024: Assassination Attempt on Trump While Playing Golf with Witkoff

On September 15, 2024, while Witkoff was playing golf with Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly attempted to assassinate Trump.

November 9, 2024: Co-chair of Presidential Inaugural Committee

On November 9, 2024, Witkoff was chosen to be co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee for Trump's upcoming second presidency, along with Kelly Loeffler.

November 12, 2024: Selected as Special Envoy to the Middle East

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he had selected Witkoff to be his Special Envoy to the Middle East.

November 2024: Appointed as United States Special Envoy to the Middle East

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of Witkoff as the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East.

November 2024: Report on Witkoff's Reputation

In November 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that peers in the real-estate world describe Witkoff as smart, personable and a talented negotiator with a common touch.

2024: Statements on Israel, Hamas, and Qatar

In 2024, Witkoff criticized the Biden administration's decision regarding bomb shipments to Israel, but also stated that Hamas members are not as ideologically extreme as they are portrayed, and praised Qatar's efforts in negotiating an end to the Gaza conflict.

January 2025: Key Role in Negotiating Ceasefire and Hostage Exchange

In January 2025, Witkoff played a key role in negotiating a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, contributing to a six-week ceasefire agreement.

January 2025: Negotiations Leading to Ceasefire and Hostage Exchange

In January 2025, before formally taking office as Special Envoy, Witkoff participated in negotiations that resulted in a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas.

January 29, 2025: Rare Entry into Gaza to Oversee Ceasefire

On January 29, 2025, Witkoff arrived in Israel and made a rare entry by an American official into Gaza to personally oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

February 11, 2025: Sent to Moscow for Prisoner Swap Negotiations

On February 11, 2025, Witkoff was sent to Moscow where he met with President Vladimir Putin and negotiated a prisoner swap, securing the release of U.S. citizen Marc Fogel in exchange for Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik.

February 16, 2025: Rejected concerns about Ukraine peace negotiations

On February 16, 2025, Witkoff rejected concerns that Ukraine and Europe would be excluded from any future peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

February 18, 2025: Attended peace negotiations on the war in Ukraine

On February 18, 2025, Witkoff accompanied U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for peace negotiations on the war in Ukraine with a Russian delegation headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

March 2, 2025: Israeli Government Stopped Entry of Goods into Gaza

On March 2, 2025, the Israeli government stopped the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip, claiming they were acting upon a proposal Witkoff had originally presented.

March 3, 2025: Witkoff-plan Existence Unconfirmed

As of March 3, 2025, the existence of a "Witkoff-plan" regarding the Gaza ceasefire had not been confirmed by Washington.

March 21, 2025: Podcast Interview with Tucker Carlson

On March 21, 2025, in a podcast interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff made controversial statements about the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Vladimir Putin, leading to international criticism.