Massad Boulos: Greek-Christian Lebanese Billionaire and Trump In-Law Who Could Shape Middle East Policy

Massad Boulos, a Christian-Lebanese billionaire and father-in-law of Donald Trump's daughter, Tiffany, has been named as Trump’s senior advisor on the Middle East, positioning him at the centre of the U.S. administration's foreign policy in the region. His son, Michael Boulos, is married to Tiffany Trump, and Massad played a key role in the Trump campaign's outreach to Arab-American voters.

Boulos, who moved to Greece in 2018, comes from a Greek Orthodox Christian family in Lebanon’s Kfar Akka. Although relatively unknown in the U.S. until the election, he has longstanding ties to Lebanon’s political and business elite. His wealth is largely generated outside Lebanon, with a significant business empire in Nigeria, where he runs the family-owned Scoa Motors and Boulos Enterprises, which controls the distribution of Japanese Suzuki vehicles and Chinese Jincheng motorcycles.

Boulos’ appointment marks the first time since Ronald Reagan's administration that a Lebanese-American will hold such a significant role in Middle East policy. Boulos is the highest-level Lebanese official to serve in the White House since U.S. diplomat Philip Habib. His deep knowledge of Lebanon's political landscape and his ties to powerful figures, including those from the Christian Kataeb Party and Lebanon’s Marada Movement, position him as a crucial player in U.S.-Lebanese relations.

Despite the sectarian political system in Lebanon limiting his domestic political power, Boulos has successfully navigated these divisions and maintains friendships with key figures across the political spectrum, including Suleiman Frangieh, a key ally of Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. His potential influence in shaping Lebanon’s presidential race and U.S. policy towards Lebanon and the broader Middle East is significant.

Boulos' unique blend of business acumen, political connections, and cultural insight offers Trump a strategic advisor as the Middle East faces continued instability.