George Nader is a man of mystery

"George Nader had stunningly authentic contacts," said Aaron David Miller, the director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Nader had prominent ties in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Iran and, for the most part, was able to move freely within those countries, according to people who have worked with him.

"George Nader had tremendous contacts in the Middle East in places that normal people -- at least back then, and to this day -- don't go," said Miller, a former adviser to six secretaries of state who encountered Nader frequently over the years.

"George Nader is a man of mystery," said Frederic Hof, director of the Atlantic Council's Middle East center. "Until this recent flurry of interest in him, I don't think I've even heard his name mentioned for 12 years."

"If you agree to this, I will lobby for this in Washington," George Nader reportedly told those attending.

A Lebanese-American businessman, George Nader, with close ties the United Arab Emirates crown prince organised a meeting of Arab leaders on a yacht in the Red Sea three years ago and proposed to start an "elite group" that would supersede the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to a news report.

A Middle East specialist with ties to Donald Trump's team, George Nader, attended secret meetings during the presidential transition between the United Arab Emirates and Trump associates, and is now cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller, two people familiar with the matter say.

A number of well-connected and experienced Middle East hands in Washington told me they'd never heard of George Nader.

A source familiar with the White House meetings said Jared Kushner also met George Nader.

A source who knows George Nader told me he's originally Lebanese, and is now a U.S. citizen.