Nikki McCann Ramirez
View all posts by Nikki McCann Ramirez June 25, 2026
Donald Trump speaking with Tiffany Trump, Michael Boulos, and Ivanka Trump at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11 Julia Demaree Nikhinson/POOL/AFP/Getty Images As Vice President J.D. Vance attempts to mop up Donald Trump’s mess in Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio just finished a comparatively cushier assignment: reassuring wealthy Gulf states that everything is in hand.
It’s serious business, so it was a bit of a surprise when the president’s son-in-law — Michael Boulos, husband to Tiffany Trump — was seen barnacled to Rubio’s entourage at an official meeting with a Middle Eastern head of state.
Boulous, a Lebanese American businessman and son of senior adviser for Arab and African affairs Massad Boulos, was seated next to Rubio during a Wednesday meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Critically, Boulous himself does not hold any formal government position, and has been accused of leveraging his ties to the Trumps for financial gain in the past.
“We discussed President Trump’s MOU with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional stability,” Rubio wrote in a post on social media, which featured a photo of him and Boulos seated at the center of the conference table in front of the UAE’s delegation. “I thanked the UAE leadership for their unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed our commitment to Emirati security and to our strong bilateral partnership.”
Met with UAE’s President @MohamedBinZayed in Abu Dhabi, where we discussed President Trump’s MOU with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional stability. I thanked the UAE leadership for their unparalleled support, praised their… pic.twitter.com/J3u6bAKR2W
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 24, 2026
When questioned by reporters about what role the president’s son-in-law had in these high-stakes talks — particularly given his status as a private luxury entrepreneur without a government position — Rubio deflected.
“He was there to see his brother who lives here,” Rubio said. “He was just here because his brother lives here, and I’m a good friend of Michael’s, so we had a chance to catch up.”
Boulos’ brother, Fares, is an Afrobeats DJ and aspiring actor.
