Age, Biography, and Wiki
- Full Name: Steven Charles Witkoff
- Date of Birth: March 15, 1957
- Age (in 2025): 68 years
- Birthplace: Bronx, New York City, USA
- Parents: Lois and Martin Witkoff (Jewish background)
- Upbringing: Raised on Long Island
Steve Witkoff is best known as the founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group, a leading real estate development firm responsible for several iconic Manhattan projects. He has also taken on diplomatic roles, serving as the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East since 2025.
| Occupation | Billionaire |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 15 March 1957 |
| Age | 68 Years |
| Birth Place | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Publicly available information about Steve Witkoff’s height, weight, and body measurements is limited. As is common with many business figures, these personal details are not officially disclosed and do not feature in major biographical profiles.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Steve Witkoff’s current dating and relationship status is not publicly documented in mainstream media. He has maintained a low profile regarding his personal life, with most public attention focused on his professional achievements and advocacy work, especially following the tragic loss of his son, Andrew, to an opioid overdose in 2011.
Witkoff is married to Lauren Jill Rappoport with whom he had three sons—including one who died of an overdose and two involved in finance and real estate—and is now reportedly separated and often seen with his girlfriend, Lauren Olaya. He also serves on various institutional boards. After the death of his son, Andrew, from an opioid overdose in 2011, Witkoff has become an advocate for addiction awareness and recovery efforts. This was included in a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
He is the son of Martin and Lois Witkoff. His father was a manufacturer of ladies' coats in New York City. His paternal grandfather and grandmother were both born in the Russian Empire.
Witkoff has lived on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. In 1987, he married Lauren Jill Rappoport, who was then an associate at the Manhattan law firm of Botein, Hays & Sklar. Rappoport and Witkoff are apparently separated and he is often accompanied by Lauren Olaya, his girlfriend. In 2019, Witkoff relocated from New York City to Florida, and settled in Miami Beach.
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| Husband | Lauren Rappoport (m. 1987) |
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Net Worth and Salary
- Estimated Net Worth (2025):
- Most recent sources cite a range from $500 million to as high as $2 billion, depending on the methodology and public disclosures used.
- Forbes and some others list his net worth at $2 billion as of May 2025.
- Alternative sources, including celebrity finance sites and business analyses, estimate it closer to $500 million.
- Primary Source of Wealth:
- Real estate investments, including the acquisition and development of landmark properties such as the Woolworth Building, the Daily News Building, and the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan.
- Salary:
- Specific salary figures are not publicly available, as his wealth is primarily derived from business profits rather than a fixed salary.
Steve Witkoff is a Jewish American born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, is the son of Martin Witkoff, a ladies’ coat manufacturer, and earned a B.A. in political science and a J.D. from Hofstra University. He began his career as a real estate attorney, before transitioning to property investment and development. His notable acquisitions include the Daily News Building, the Woolworth Building, 33 Maiden Lane, and the Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan. As of May 2025, the Forbes World's Billionaires List estimated Witkoff's net worth at US$2 billion.
Career, Business, and Investments
- Real Estate Attorney: Began his career as a lawyer before transitioning into property investment.
- Witkoff Group: Founder and chairman; the firm is responsible for high-profile acquisitions and developments across the U.S..
- Notable Investments:
- Woolworth Building (acquired in 1998)
- Daily News Building
- Park Lane Hotel (sold for $1 billion)
- 33 Maiden Lane
- West Hollywood Hotel and Residences
- Business Strategy: Known for identifying undervalued properties and transforming them into high-performing assets.
- Diplomatic Role (2025):
- Appointed by President Trump as United States Special Envoy to the Middle East; played a role in ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.
- Advocacy: Following his son’s death, Witkoff became a vocal advocate for addiction awareness and recovery, which he highlighted in a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Steven Charles Witkoff (born March 15, 1957) is an American real estate investor and lawyer who has served as the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East since 2025. He is the founder and chairman of the Witkoff Group.
During the first presidency of Donald Trump in 2020, Witkoff was a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, which were created to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In November 2024, then President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would appoint Witkoff to be the United States Special Envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff had no diplomatic experience. After his nomination but before formally taking office, Witkoff took part in the negotiations which led to a ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in January 2025. In addition to his Middle East portfolio, he also became Trump's de facto envoy to Russian president Vladimir Putin. Witkoff has backed Trump-style foreign policy and voiced pro-Russia views.
Witkoff began his career as a real estate lawyer. In November 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that: "Peers in the real-estate world invariably describe Witkoff ... as smart, personable and a talented negotiator with a common touch."
After graduating from law school in 1983, Witkoff worked for the New York City real estate law firm Dreyer & Traub, where one of his clients was Donald Trump. They became friends at a New York City deli, after they had worked together on a business deal. Witkoff subsequently practiced real estate law at the New York City law firm Rosenman & Colin, through 1986.
In 1997, Witkoff left Stellar Management, founded and became chairman and CEO of the privately held Witkoff Group headquartered in New York City, and expanded into residential construction and land rehabilitation. In 1998, he and business partner Rubin Schron purchased the Woolworth Building in Tribeca for $138 million, and he expanded his portfolio to include real estate purchases in Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia. 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 developments. In 1998, a planned $2 billion IPO of his company was canceled due to the collapse of the real estate market, and Witkoff and Gluck dissolved their partnership, with Gluck taking the residential properties and Witkoff the office buildings.
The Witkoff Group purchased the project to build the resort and casino Fontainebleau Las Vegas for $600 million. The property was scheduled to open in 2020 as The Drew, named after Witkoff's late son Andrew. However, construction stopped in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada. In February 2021, Koch Real Estate Investments purchased the property. The original name was reinstated, and the hotel opened in December 2023.
In April 2020 during the first presidency of Donald Trump, Witkoff was a member of the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group, which was created by Trump to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
They have had three sons. In 2011, their 22-year-old son Andrew died of an OxyContin overdose at the now-closed Sunset Plaza Drive sober living facility in California. Their son Zach is a co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company. Their son Alexander is co-CEO of the Witkoff Group.
Witkoff has been on the executive committee for the Real Estate Board of New York, and is a trustee for the Intrepid Foundation, and on the board of trustees of Hofstra University (since 2015).
Social Network
Steve Witkoff is not known for maintaining a highly visible presence on major social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. His public engagements are typically through business conferences, political events, and philanthropic activities.
In 1985, he co-founded Stellar Management, partnering with fellow Dreyer & Traub real estate attorney Larry Gluck — "Stellar" is a reference to Steve and Larry — switching their careers from the practice of law to owning and managing real estate. They purchased inexpensive apartment buildings in Washington Heights, Manhattan and the Northwest Bronx; at one point they owned 85 buildings with over 3,000 apartments. In 1995, he expanded into lower Manhattan, buying several inexpensive office buildings. In 1996, he secured financing from Credit Suisse First Boston for the purchase of 33 Maiden Lane, a 27-story tower designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee; the following year, he leased the top 13 floors of the building to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for a 25-year term. Witkoff purchased additional properties including the landmark Daily News Building in the East Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, designed by architects Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells.
In March 2025, Witkoff expressed concern that Israel's war in Gaza could destabilize Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He stated that the youth unemployment rate in Egypt is 45% and that the country is bankrupt, saying that "country can't exist like that. They're largely broke. They need a lot of help."
Education
- Undergraduate: Initially attended Union College in Schenectady; transferred to Hofstra University in Hempstead.
- Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Hofstra University, 1980)
- Law Degree: Juris Doctor (Hofstra University School of Law, 1983)
Witkoff began his studies at Union College in Schenectady, New York, but chose to transfer to Hofstra University, where he earned a B.A. in political science in 1980. In 1983, he graduated with a J.D. from Hofstra Law School.
