FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Donald Trump revealed on Saturday that his inaugural committee will be led by Steven Witkoff, a real estate investor from Florida, alongside former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, whom he referred to as “longtime friends and supporters.”
“This will mark the beginning of my administration and will focus on fulfilling bold promises to make America great again,” Trump stated in a press release.
Witkoff, who is known to be a golf partner of Trump, was present during a tense incident in September when the former president faced a second assassination attempt at his golf resort in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The previous inauguration faced criticism over its extravagant expenses. At that time, the committee chair, Tom Barrack, a billionaire from California, made headlines for raising a staggering $107 million for the celebration.
The former president’s business interests and the inaugural committee had previously reached a settlement with Washington, D.C., agreeing to pay $750,000 to settle allegations that the committee had overpaid for services rendered at his hotel, accusations that suggested it benefited Trump’s family financially.
At that time, the committee asserted that their financial dealings had been thoroughly audited independently and that all expenditures were in compliance with legal guidelines.