Trump aide Steve Witkoff accused of ‘blurring' government & business as son Zach strikes crypto deals
PRESIDENT Trump's aide Steve Witkoff has been accused of 'blurring' government negotiations with private business dealings.
The Middle East envoy, 68, flew to the United Arab Emirates a month before inauguration day to discuss regional issues with Abu Dhabi royal Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, known as the 'spy sheikh'.
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He also attended a cryptocurrency conference while he was there.
Less than five months later, Witkoff's son Zach, 32, co-founder of the crypto venture World Liberty Financial, announced the company had struck a deal for the sheikh's firm to buy $2 billion of their cryptocurrency.
The profits - expected to be in the tens of millions - would be split between the Witkoffs and their co-founders, as well as the Trump family, which holds a 60 per cent stake.
Earlier this month, the elder Witkoff met with the sheikh again to unveil an agreement giving the oil-rich Gulf monarchy access to millions of advanced US-made computer chips.
The Wall Street Journal, which exposed the father and son's parallel dealings, describes them as an 'extraordinary blurring of government negotiations and private business'.
The New York newspaper said it is 'rewriting the diplomatic playbook' for countries wanting to impress the White House.
World Liberty, which issues cryptocurrency USD1, has reportedly pitched its token to foreign governments eager to improve their relations with the USA.
Sources told the WSJ that Zach Witkoff has described his father's long-time friend Trump as like a 'godfather' to him in pitch calls.
As well as officials in the UAE, he has met with the top government officials in Pakistan who later negotiated a cease-fire in India with the Trump administration.
His advisers and associates have also met with Malaysia's foreign minister and prime minister, Kyrgyzstan's president, and have spoken virtually at a Moscow crypto conference which featured the Russian deputy finance minister.
Donald Trump's power can drag US out of 'crypto winter' but he needs to show currency's not just for terrorists & drugs
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly insisted Steve Witkoff is divesting himself from his assets, including World Liberty, and doesn't have an 'operational role' in the company.
She said he doesn't discuss company or personal business matters in his government role.
The special envoy, who isn't taking a government salary and flies around the world on his personal jet, hasn't released a public financial disclosure but said he would transfer his holdings to his sons.
World Liberty spokesman David Wachsman also insisted the company's business deals have nothing to do with the U.S. government.
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He said the firm 'wouldn't even have the ability or insight to discuss official government business' and that 'attempting to frame WLFI and Ambassador Witkoff taking meetings in the same country as some sort of conflict of interest' is incorrect, adding that 'one has nothing to do with the other.'
He also denied that Zach Witkoff had referred to Trump as like a godfather.
The Trump Organization has pledged not to make new deals with foreign governments while Trump is in office.
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