Newborn grandson of Trump’s Mideast envoy named after Trump
Don James Witkoff is the grandson of Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff and his son Zach during the Republican National Convention July 18. Photo by Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh December 15, 2024
Zach Witkoff, the son of Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, has named his newborn son Don James as a tribute to Trump.
“Congratulations to Zach and Sophi Witkoff on the birth of their son, Don James Witkoff (DJW), named after me (Thank you!),” Trump wrote Sunday on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“It is an honor to name our son after the greatest president of all time,” Zach Witkoff posted on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).
The Witkoff family has longstanding ties with Trump. The son of a manufacturer of women’s coats, Witkoff became friends with Trump at a New York City deli in 1986 after they worked together on a business deal. Trump had no cash on him so “I ordered him a ham and swiss,” Witkoff said.
Since then, Witkoff has become a confidant, golfing buddy and contributor to Trump’s campaigns.
A prominent real estate developer and Jewish philanthropist, Witkoff was by Trump’s side in September when a would-be assassin targeted him during a round of golf in Florida before the Secret Service intervened. Witkoff offered a personal endorsement of Trump during the Republican National Convention in July, describing him as a “kind and compassionate” person who helped him cope after his son’s death from an opioid overdose.
Zach, one of two surviving sons, is the co-founder of World Liberty Financial, a crypto company promoted by the Trump family. He joined his father on stage after the speech at the RNC.
Last month, Trump appointed Steve Witkoff as his special envoy to the Middle East, a position in which he is already playing a critical role in negotiating a ceasefire-hostage deal in Gaza. Witkoff is also expected to have significant influence in efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, the historic 2020 agreement normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations. Witkoff met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia on a visit to the region last week.
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