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Trump Envoy’s Son Melts Down Defending Dad’s Russia Bromance

Steve Witkoff’s son rushed to rescue him—from a post on X.

The son of a top Trump envoy rushed to his father’s defense after the administration’s latest meeting with Russia got brutally mocked online.

Zach Witkoff, 33, the son of President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, defended his dad after a recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin drew flak on X.

Zach Witkoff, Co-Founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump pose before they ring the opening bell to celebrate the closing of ALT5’s $1.5 billion offering and adoption of its $WLFI Treasury Strategy at the Nasdaq Market, in New York City, U.S., August 13, 2025.  REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Zach Witkoff (right) is a co-founder and CEO of World Liberty Financial, the crypto empire tied to President Donald Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric.

Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS

Witkoff, 69, landed in Saint Petersburg early Wednesday morning to meet with Putin, 74. Hours later, Putin said he agreed to release retired American teacher Stephen Hubbard from prison, citing a request from Trump.

Mario Nawfal, a political commentator who posts news updates on his X account, reported on Witkoff’s landing in Russia with a pointed remark.

“Witkoff has been to Russia so many times he should be collecting air miles,” he said. “Whether this trip finally lands a deal is another story.”

World Liberty Financial CEO, Zach Witkoff, speaks at TOKEN2049 crypto conference in Singapore October 7, 2026. REUTERS/Caroline Chia

Zach Witkoff defended his father on X on Wednesday.

Caroline Chia/REUTERS

Zach, a businessman and co-founder of the Trump-linked crypto empire World Liberty Financial, didn’t let the comment slide.

“This is disgusting and intellectually dishonest,” he wrote in response. “Robert Gillman, Marc Fogel, and now Stephen Hubbard; all US citizens who President Trump, this admin and my father worked tirelessly to bring home. Why don’t you ask them or their families whether my dad was collecting air miles’ traveling to Russia. Keep trying to get more clicks though…”

Zach Witkoff on X

Zach Witkoff on X

Though Nawfal snubbed Zach, former Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor chimed in with a dig at Witkoff’s remarks about Putin.

After Hubbard’s release, Witkoff fawned over the Russian dictator with eyebrow-raising praise.

President Donald Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff shared a photo of Stephen Hubbard, third from left, on a plane with U.S. officials after being released from Russian detention.

President Donald Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff shared a photo of Stephen Hubbard, third from left, on a plane with U.S. officials after being released from Russian detention.

Truth Social

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian,” he told Putin. “You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again.”

Vietor said the comment “is one of the most humiliating things I have ever seen in politics.”

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) greets US special envoy Steve Witkoff (L) prior to their meeting in Saint Petersburg on October 21, 2026. (Photo by Gavriil GRIGOROV / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) / Editor's note: This image is distributed by the Russian state owned agency Sputnik

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) greets U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff (L) prior to their meeting in Saint Petersburg.

GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

“Keep crying about random tweets while Ukrainian kids get slaughtered,” he wrote to Zach. “Cash those corrupt crypto bucks!”

Witkoff’s son hit back with a reference to Vietor’s time in the Obama administration.

Tommy Vietor and Zach Witkoff on X

Tommy Vietor and Zach Witkoff on X

“You saying ‘Dude, this was like 2 years ago’ when [Fox News star] @BretBaier asked you if you remembered changing the wording of the Benghazi terror attacks from ‘attacks’ to ‘demonstrations’ in the President’s talking points is one of the most humiliating things I’ve ever seen in politics,” he said.

Zach Witkoff and Steve Witkoff embrace on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Zach appeared with his dad, Steve Witkoff, at the Republican National Convention in 2024.

Mike Segar/REUTERS

Trump, meanwhile, used Hubbard’s release to defend an executive order he signed that waived new sanctions and tariffs on Russia under a law named after the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“Numerous people, who requested that sanctions be immediately imposed on Russia, have called to apologize to President Trump in that they didn’t know that he was negotiating the release of Stephen Hubbard, a truly big and important deal for the U.S.,” he claimed in a Truth Social post. “If sanctions would have been placed, certainly those negotiations would have come to a complete and total halt.”

Just minutes before he published that post, however, Trump said “the United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return” for Hubbard’s release.

“There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release. This major return should have taken place long ago through the Biden Administration, which got nowhere in its negotiations with the Kremlin. Stephen is on his way back home,” he said.

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