Trump nominates Lebanese-American Massad Boulos as Middle East adviser

President-elect Donald Trump signs autographs as Massad Boulos listens in Dearborn, Michigan, on November 1. AP

US president-elect Donald Trump nominated Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs on Sunday.

Referring to Mr Boulos as a “dealmaker”, Mr Trump said he has been a long-time proponent of Republican and conservative values, “an asset to my campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab-American community”.

It was the second time in recent days that Mr Trump chose the father-in-law of one of his children to serve in his administration.

On Saturday, Mr Trump said that he had picked his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, real estate mogul Charles Kushner, to serve as US ambassador to France.

Mr Boulos, whose son Michael is married to Tiffany Trump, has been a prominent supporter of the Trump campaign, rallying Lebanese and Arab-American voters as US-backed Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon heightened regional tensions.

With strong connections to the US and Lebanon, Mr Boulos brings a complex legacy to the role. His family has long-standing ties to Lebanese politics, with his father and grandfather playing notable roles.

His father-in-law was a significant financial backer of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party aligned with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Karim Bitar, professor of international relations at St Joseph University of Beirut, told The National that Mr Boulos is in close contact with several political actors in Lebanon and his nomination will be "well received".

"He knows the country extremely well and he is perceived as a moderate who could bring Arab public opinion closer to the inner circles of Washington, DC," Prof Bitar said.

Prof Bitar added that Mr Boulos's nomination indicates that Mr Trump "pretty much like many Middle East leaders is a family man and likes to work or trusts mostly his family".

Mr Boulos has engaged with crucial players across Lebanon's fragmented political landscape, Reuters reported.

Notably, he has maintained relations with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite party holding significant influence through parliamentary seats and government ministers.

At the same time, he has cultivated ties with the Lebanese Forces, an anti-Hezbollah Christian faction, and has engaged with independent politicians, the sources said.