Latest news with #Rubinstein
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maryland's Reed Rubinstein confirmed as State Department adviser in Trump administration
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Reed D. Rubinstein of Maryland as the State Department's senior adviser. Rubinstein was confirmed in a party-line vote, 52-46. No Democrats supported his nomination. Sens. Cory Booker and Lindsey Graham did not vote. This will be Rubinstein's second time serving in Trump's administration. During Trump's first term, Rubinstein worked as a senior counselor in the Department of Agriculture, senior adviser of the Treasury Department, and general counsel of the Department of Education. 'The Department must champion core American interests and always put America and American citizens first,' Rubinstein wrote to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'To that end, it has been tasked with defending American sovereignty and protecting the rule of law by enforcing our immigration laws.' Rubenstein pledged to support the administration's policies of deporting immigrants and student visa holders 'who violate our laws, who preach or call for sectarian violence, for overthrowing or replacing the culture on which our constitutional Republic stands, or who provide advocacy, aid, or support for foreign terrorists such as the bestial perpetrators of the October 7 atrocities,' Rubinstein wrote in a statement to the Foreign Relations Committee. Both Maryland Democratic senators opposed the nomination. 'The last thing we need as State Department legal adviser is someone who, in addition to having little to no foreign policy experience, has trafficked in conspiracy theories about the previous administration and maligned our teachers,' Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told The Sun in a statement. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks called Rubinstein a conspiracy theorist who 'is wholly unqualified to offer sage counsel and do the actual job,' she said in a statement. 'At a time when the United States is dealing with multiple international crises, this is a dangerous and unproductive appointment.' Many of President Donald Trump's appointees have experienced tense exchanges during the confirmation process. Rubinstein was no different. During the Foreign Relations committee hearing to consider his nomination, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the committee's ranking Democrat, asked Rubinstein if he would advise department officials to uphold federal laws should he be confirmed. Rubinstein was silent for several seconds. Then he repeated the question back to Shaheen. 'It doesn't seem like a difficult question,' Shaheen said. Rubinstein chuckled before saying he committed to applying the law internally at the department and seeking outside counsel on more complex issues. 'The law is a conversation,' Rubinstein said, adding that it gets into 'a grey area' when it comes to separations of powers between the executive and legislative branches. 'Often, there isn't an absolutely clear answer.' 'Well, I will take that as a 'no,' actually,' Shaheen responded. The pair also sparred over one of Rubinstein's previous social media posts that claimed that President Joe Biden's administration attempted to overthrow the Israeli government: 'Do you really believe that?' Shaheen said. Rubinstein, who is Jewish, cited a Senate report released regarding activity during President Barack Obama's administration and emails he had obtained via Freedom of Information requests. Shaheen shot back, saying that she 'had heard these conspiracy theories before.' As senior adviser, Rubinstein will advise Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump on the legality of their policy decisions. He will oversee roughly 300 State Department attorneys and staff. Rubinstein currently serves as the senior vice president of the America First Legal Foundation. The group was co-founded by Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff. Miller has been integral in developing Trump's immigration policies and mandates. _____
Daily Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Gavin Rubinstein knocks back $6.5m offer on Cohen pad
TRG founder Gavin Rubinstein has taken on the job of selling his former Luxe Listings co-star Simon Cohen's Potts Point flat and he's already knocked back an offer. 'We've had an offer of $6.5m which I've rejected,' says Rubinstein, close mate of Australia's best known buyer's agent who has orchestrated many of the biggest deals in the country of late. It would be fun to be in the same room as the pair as they discuss the offers as they come in, as they often clashed in the hit reality TV show of a few years back. The two-level three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with double parking and Harbour Bridge and Opera House views in the renowned Ikon block in Macleay St, Potts Point first hit the market at the start of spring last year via a different agency. It has 180sqm of internal space — 300sqm including the courtyard. MORE: Why old house doubled in value in two years Rubinstein's keeping mum on the price expectations, nine months later. The $6.5m offer clearly wasn't enough, but Cohen's probably dropped his initial hopes and dreams. Whoever buys it will be buying well. There's no doubt this is a ripper apartment in one of Sydney's best-built blocks by the country's most respected developer, Mirvac. Another of Australia's big real estate names, John McGrath, recently paid a suburb record price for an apartment built by the same crew. That's no accident. And the market's set to fire up post election, experts believe, so it could be prime time to snap this dream pad up. Cohen bought it for $5,125,000 in 2021 but then did a $1.85m reno over two years. At the time it listed last spring, it was said he 'went overboard', gutting the entire apartment, adding new electrics, new ceilings and new cornices. Cohen's created a 'world class sanctuary of unparalleled appeal', as you might expect. And given that his focus has now turned to the 'relaxed' renovation of his $12.5m Paddington mansion, the Potts Point pad is unlikely to be on the market for much longer.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Gavin Rubinstein knocks back $6.5m offer on Cohen pad
TRG founder Gavin Rubinstein has taken on the job of selling his former Luxe Listings co-star Simon Cohen's Potts Point flat and he's already knocked back an offer. 'We've had an offer of $6.5m which I've rejected,' says Rubinstein, close mate of Australia's best known buyer's agent who has orchestrated many of the biggest deals in the country of late. It would be fun to be in the same room as the pair as they discuss the offers as they come in, as they often clashed in the hit reality TV show of a few years back. The two-level three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with double parking and Harbour Bridge and Opera House views in the renowned Ikon block in Macleay St, Potts Point first hit the market at the start of spring last year via a different agency. It has 180sqm of internal space — 300sqm including the courtyard. Why old house doubled in value in two years Rubinstein's keeping mum on the price expectations, nine months later. The $6.5m offer clearly wasn't enough, but Cohen's probably dropped his initial hopes and dreams. Whoever buys it will be buying well. There's no doubt this is a ripper apartment in one of Sydney's best-built blocks by the country's most respected developer, Mirvac. Another of Australia's big real estate names, John McGrath, recently paid a suburb record price for an apartment built by the same crew. That's no accident. And the market's set to fire up post election, experts believe, so it could be prime time to snap this dream pad up. Cohen bought it for $5,125,000 in 2021 but then did a $1.85m reno over two years. At the time it listed last spring, it was said he 'went overboard', gutting the entire apartment, adding new electrics, new ceilings and new cornices. Cohen's created a 'world class sanctuary of unparalleled appeal', as you might expect. And given that his focus has now turned to the 'relaxed' renovation of his $12.5m Paddington mansion, the Potts Point pad is unlikely to be on the market for much longer.
Daily Telegraph
30-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Why old Bellevue Hill house doubled in value in two years
An old Bellevue Hill home has just sold for $13m, nearly double the price it sold for two years ago — because of two key factors. The five-bedroom house on a 536sqm block at 20 Rosslyn Ave fetched $7.4m in February, 2023 at a competitive auction. And now, a buyer with a mainland Chinese background has shelled out $13m off-market via TRG founder Gavin Rubinstein in conjunction with colleague Evan Cheung. Rubinstein says the big price was down to two factors. The buyers were firstly impressed by the vendor's recently approved DA for a three-level home with lift gliding between the basement, entertainment level and four bedrooms upstairs. But the second factor was Cheung was able to overcome the language barrier — he's fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. MORE: Roosters star lists in Rose Bay 'He was able to explain to the buyers the benefits of the proximity to private schools in the east and the planned new home, which will offer direct views of the Harbour Bridge,' Rubinstein said. It was a similar story with a five-bedroom house at 167 O'Sullivan Rd, Bellevue Hill on a 560 sqm block, that the pair have recently sold for $8.5m to an overseas family relocating to Australia and purchasing their first home. Multiple agents had previously attempted to sell the property, but after Rubinstein and Cheung took it over they sold it off-market in April after just one inspection. 'The relationship had been nurtured well in advance,' Rubinstein said. 'It helps a lot having Evan fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese — which is something we genuinely excel at — in this case both buyers came from an overseas background.' He added that The Rubinstein Group team excels at connecting with buyers with overseas backgrounds, mainly due to social and digital marketing and an exclusive referral network that both Gavin and Evan work with. The big results follow the TRG duo achieving the record price for a semi in Bellevue Rd, Bellevue Hill on April 15. 'We've sold the most properties in Bellevue Hill over the past 12 months,' Rubinstein added.
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Why old Bellevue Hill house doubled in value in two years
An old Bellevue Hill home has just sold for $13m, nearly double the price it sold for two years ago — because of two key factors. The five-bedroom house on a 536sqm block at 20 Rosslyn Ave fetched $7.4m in February, 2023 at a competitive auction. And now, a buyer with a mainland Chinese background has shelled out $13m off-market via TRG founder Gavin Rubinstein in conjunction with colleague Evan Cheung. Rubinstein says the big price was down to two factors. The buyers were firstly impressed by the vendor's recently approved DA for a three-level home with lift gliding between the basement, entertainment level and four bedrooms upstairs. But the second factor was Cheung was able to overcome the language barrier — he's fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. 'He was able to explain to the buyers the benefits of the proximity to private schools in the east and the planned new home, which will offer direct views of the Harbour Bridge,' Rubinstein said. It was a similar story with a five-bedroom house at 167 O'Sullivan Rd, Bellevue Hill on a 560 sqm block, that the pair have recently sold for $8.5m to an overseas family relocating to Australia and purchasing their first home. Multiple agents had previously attempted to sell the property, but after Rubinstein and Cheung took it over they sold it off-market in April after just one inspection. 'The relationship had been nurtured well in advance,' Rubinstein said. 'It helps a lot having Evan fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese — which is something we genuinely excel at — in this case both buyers came from an overseas background.' He added that The Rubinstein Group team excels at connecting with buyers with overseas backgrounds, mainly due to social and digital marketing and an exclusive referral network that both Gavin and Evan work with. The big results follow the TRG duo achieving the record price for a semi in Bellevue Rd, Bellevue Hill on April 15. 'We've sold the most properties in Bellevue Hill over the past 12 months,' Rubinstein added.
