Massad Fares Boulos

Massad Fares Boulos (Arabic: مسعد فارس بولس; born 1971) is a Lebanese-born American businessman and government advisor. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston–Downtown, earned in 1993, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Boulos was born in Kfaraakka, Koura, Lebanon, to Fares and Marie-Therese Boulos. He is the eldest of four siblings—Vivian, Philip, and Michel. His father, Fares Boulos, served as mayor of Kfaraakka from 1998 to 2010. The Boulos family is of Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christian background, with their surname meaning "Paul" in Arabic.

In his youth, Boulos moved to Texas. Despite being described by President Donald Trump as "an accomplished lawyer," there is no record of him being admitted to the Texas bar or practicing law professionally.

Boulos’s career commenced in Nigeria, where he became the CEO of SCOA Nigeria PLC, a company involved in trucking and heavy machinery dealership operations. SCOA is part of the Fadoul Group, a West African business conglomerate. As of 2024, media outlets have described SCOA as a "multi-billion dollar conglomerate"; however, financial reports indicate that SCOA's shares trade at approximately two Nigerian naira, roughly a tenth of a US cent, with a market capitalization of about $865,000 and Boulos holding a 1.53% share. Boulos has stated that the collective worth of the Fadoul Group's companies exceeds $1 billion. He clarified that he has no relationship with Boulos Enterprises, a different family-owned business with a similar name, and generally refrains from publicly commenting on his business holdings. Media scrutiny of his business background has been met with assertions from Boulos and the Trump transition team that he is a respected businessman, emphasizing his long-standing role as CEO of his family's companies for over 27 years and noting that his family employs tens of thousands globally.

Boulos’s family has deep roots in Lebanese politics. His father Fares and grandfather were known political figures, and his great uncle served in parliament. His family history includes connections to various Lebanese Christian political parties; Boulos states he is not formally affiliated with any. He has acquaintances among political leaders such as Suleiman Frangieh of the Marada Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), a party linked to Michel Aoun and broad Lebanese Christian support. Reports indicate that Boulos supported the FPM and represented it in Nigeria, where his father-in-law engaged in business and political funding. In 2009, he was shortlisted for a Lebanese parliamentary seat but was not selected; by 2018, he expressed support for the Marada Movement. He has denied ever running for parliamentary office.

Boulos has participated in U.S. politics as a volunteer, working on George W. Bush’s 1994 campaign for Texas governor. During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, he campaigned for Donald Trump within Arab American and Muslim communities, alongside figures such as Bishara Bahbah and Richard Grenell. He aimed to depict Trump as supportive of "global peace" and worked to connect with Arab American constituents. Critics raised concerns about some of his outreach efforts, particularly over issues related to U.S. policies on Jerusalem.

In 2025, Boulos was appointed a senior advisor to Donald Trump, initially announced as an Arab and Middle Eastern affairs advisor, later clarified as Senior Advisor for Africa. In this capacity, he has acted as an intermediary in the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire negotiations, emphasizing the implementation of UN resolutions concerning Hezbollah disarmament and Iranian funding. Boulos has sought to influence Lebanese political dynamics by conveying messages regarding Hezbollah's role in the cabinet formations. His diplomatic activities have included meetings with regional actors such as Israeli officials and Palestinian representatives, which have at times drawn criticism from advocacy groups.

His position has involved public statements advocating for peace and stability in the region, including meetings with regional leaders and participation in diplomatic events. His involvement reflects an intersection of business, politics, and regional diplomacy in his role as an advisor to the former U.S. president.