United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has been facing criticism over his mishandling of the Iran negotiations, but now he has a new scandal on his hands as footage has been unearthed of his son’s arrest for drug possession at a Miami nightclub in January 2022.
Zach Witkoff — who also happens to be the co-founder and CEO of the Trump family’s crypto business — was arrested for cocaine possession, and while the charges were dropped, the newfound footage may pose an embarrassment to those in the orbit of President Donald Trump.
In it, the younger Witkoff is shown in handcuffs and telling Miami police that he had done “nothing wrong.” At one point, he attempts to wriggle out of the situation by dropping the club owner’s name, saying, “I’m friends with Marc Roberts, I swear to God.”
“Nobody cares, nobody cares,” replied an officer. “You understand that, right? Nobody cares. Stop dropping names.”
Ultimately, Witkoff was arrested on charges of cocaine possession, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case.
Witkoff helms World Liberty Financial, the Trump family crypto venture that is currently being sued by billionaire investor Justin Sun, who asserts that the company defrauded him out of his multi-million dollar investment.
According to Sun, the company is “on the verge of collapse.”
Zach Witkoff's 2022 arrest raises questions about oversight and vetting within Trump administration circles. The incident occurred before Witkoff took the helm of World Liberty Financial, but it underscores a pattern of insufficient accountability within the Trump family's business operations. The dropped charges suggest potential preferential treatment, particularly given the family connections involved. The timing of the footage's release coincides with growing scrutiny of both the Iran negotiations and the crypto venture's financial troubles.
For Steve Witkoff, already under fire for his diplomatic missteps, the resurfacing of his son's arrest compounds perceptions that Trump's inner circle operates with impunity. Additionally, the connection between Zach Witkoff's role at World Liberty Financial and the company's current legal challenges—including Justin Sun's fraud allegations—suggests that nepotism may be undermining the venture's credibility and operational competence. The incident illustrates broader concerns about how the Trump administration prioritizes loyalty over qualification and accountability.
