President-elect Donald Trump has recently made significant appointments for key positions in his administration, including selecting billionaire Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. This decision marks the second time in as many days that Trump has chosen a family member for a crucial role.
Boulos, who is the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Tiffany, played a pivotal role in campaign outreach to Muslim communities during the election. Trump also named real estate developer Charles Kushner as the next US ambassador to France. Kushner, the father of Jared Kushner who is married to Trump's daughter Ivanka, was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after a 2005 conviction on federal charges.
These appointments highlight Trump's tendency to rely on trusted family members in his administration. Throughout his first term, Trump appointed his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner as senior advisers, with Kushner playing a key role in negotiating the Abraham Accords that normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
While Ivanka Trump has stated that she does not plan to return to Washington in any formal capacity, Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were actively involved in running the family real estate business during his first term and served as key surrogates on the 2024 campaign trail.
Additionally, Lara Trump, Trump's daughter-in-law, was appointed as co-chair of the Republican National Committee. Trump's reliance on family members for political roles has raised concerns about conflicts of interest and nepotism, but it appears that he will continue this practice in his second term.
