President-elect Donald Trump has chosen billionaire businessman Massad Boulos, the father-in-law to his daughter Tiffany Trump, as his senior adviser on Middle Eastern affairs.

Trump announced on his Truth Social media platform that Boulos, father of Trump’s son-in-law Michael Boulos, will serve as White House senior adviser on Arab and Middle East affairs. Born to a Christian family in Lebanon, Massad Boulos runs Nigeria-based Boulos Enterprises, which produces and distributes mechanical equipment and motorcycles. Michael Boulos has been married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany since 2022.

Trump said in his announcement of the selection: “I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as Senior Advisor to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene. He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community. Massad is a dealmaker, and an unwavering supporter of PEACE in the Middle East. He will be a strong advocate for the United States, and its interests, and I am pleased to have him on our team!”

During the presidential election cycle, it is said that Boulos helped Trump by courting Arab American voters and met in September with Mahmoud Abbas – the leader of the Palestinian Authority who had barred Palestinian officials from meeting with the Trump administration during his first term as president. Boulos, however, told The New York Times after the conference with Abbas that it was purely a personal meeting, adding that he did not advise Trump about it before or after.

Editorial credit: Irfy0003 / Shutterstock.com