Listen to the article
As the dawn rose on President Donald Trump’s second term, one key figure from his first administration stood back, content to focus on his personal business interests and not retake a formal government role.
Now, nearly a year into Trump 2.0, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has been drawn back into the foreign policy fold and is taking a greater role in delicate peace negotiations. Talks had initially been led almost solo by special envoy Steve Witkoff, a real estate mogul who had no government experience before this year.
The shift reflects a sense among Trump’s inner circle that Kushner, who has diplomatic experience, complements Witkoff’s negotiating style and can bridge seemingly intractable differences to close a deal, according to several current and former administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal deliberations.
That role was on display this weekend as Kushner and Witkoff hosted Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev in Miami for talks on the latest proposals to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. They also met with Turkish and Qatari officials to discuss the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as they work to implement the second phase of Trump’s ceasefire plan.
The lengthy session Saturday with Dmitriev followed several weeks of shuttle diplomacy, with Witkoff and Kushner meeting most recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian and European diplomats in Germany and Miami. The American envoys held further talks with Dmitriev on Sunday. These discussions came after earlier meetings in Florida with Ukrainian and European officials that focused on fine-tuning Trump’s 20-point peace plan as well as developing security agreements and economic development for Kyiv.
Witkoff, a longtime friend of Trump’s, is viewed by some inside the administration as an oversized character who has traveled the world for diplomatic negotiations on his private jet and frequently praises the president for his foreign policy acumen.
Kushner, meanwhile, has his own complex business interests in the Middle East and a sometimes transactional approach to diplomacy that has concerned some officials in European capitals, according to a Western diplomat. Nevertheless, Kushner is seen as a more credible negotiator than Witkoff, who many Ukrainian and European officials view as overly deferential to Russian interests in a war that began with Moscow’s invasion in February 2022.
“Kushner has a bit more of a track record from the first administration,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Georgia who now teaches diplomacy at Northwestern University. Kelly stressed, however, that the jury is still out on Kushner’s intervention.
Trump views Kushner as a “trusted family member and talented adviser” who has played a pivotal role in some of his biggest foreign policy successes, said White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly. Trump and Witkoff “often seek Mr. Kushner’s input given his experience with complex negotiations, and Mr. Kushner has been generous in lending his valuable expertise when asked,” Kelly added.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott called Kushner “a world-class negotiator,” noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is grateful for Kushner’s “willingness to serve our country and help President Trump solve some of the world’s most complex challenges.”
In an October interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Kushner spoke about his unconventional approach to diplomacy. “I was trained in foreign policy really in President Trump’s first term by seeing an outsider president come into Washington with a different school of foreign policy than had been brought in place for the 20 or 30 years prior,” he said.
Some Democrats and government oversight groups have expressed skepticism about Kushner’s role in shaping administration policies in the Middle East while managing billions of dollars in investments through his firm, Affinity Partners, including from Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s sovereign wealth funds.
Similarly, Witkoff has faced scrutiny for his and his family’s business ties to Gulf nations. Last year, Witkoff partnered with members of Trump’s family to launch a cryptocurrency company, World Liberty Financial, which received a $2 billion investment from a United Arab Emirates-controlled wealth fund.
“What people call conflicts of interests, Steve and I call experience and trusted relationships that we have throughout the world,” said Kushner, who is not drawing a salary from the White House for his advisory role.
White House counsel David Warrington stated that Kushner’s efforts for Trump “are undertaken in full compliance with the law.” Warrington noted that given Kushner’s critical role in the Abraham Accords and other diplomatic successes in the first Trump administration, the President asked him to be available as Trump engages in similar peace efforts. “Mr. Kushner has agreed to do so in his capacity as a private citizen,” Warrington added.
Kelly and other veteran diplomats remain skeptical about Kushner’s ability to secure a Russia-Ukraine deal, particularly because Witkoff technically remains in the lead. “I don’t see that the Witkoff approach is going to work,” Kelly said. “He doesn’t really read the Russians well. He misunderstands what they say and reports the misunderstandings back to Washington and the Europeans.”
For the first half of the year, Kushner maintained a low profile, even as he unsuccessfully pushed to install some former associates—those with whom he worked on negotiating the Abraham Accords—into powerful roles in the new administration.
Although Kushner remained an informal sounding board for Trump and top advisers, he resisted getting directly involved until it became clear that the job might be too much for Witkoff to seal on his own. As Trump’s efforts to forge an agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza faltered over the summer, Kushner leveraged his experience and contacts from negotiating the Abraham Accords to help push Trump’s plan over the finish line.
“We always bring Jared when we want to get that deal closed,” Trump told Israel’s parliament shortly after the agreement. “We need that brain on occasion.”
After the Gaza plan was finalized, Kushner indicated he would return to his family and private equity firm in Miami, joking that his wife, Ivanka, might change the locks if he did not get home soon. “I’m gonna try to help set it up, and then I’m gonna hopefully go back to my normal life,” Kushner said in October.
But within weeks, Trump turned again to his son-in-law to help with the Russia-Ukraine negotiations that had been deadlocked for months. Trump’s reliance on Kushner during critical diplomatic moments suggests his continued trust in his son-in-law’s negotiating abilities, despite the unofficial nature of his role.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
12 Comments
Kushner’s return to diplomacy under Trump 2.0 is a bit of a wild card. His business background could provide a fresh perspective, but he’ll have to prove he can navigate the delicate politics of international negotiations.
Kushner’s involvement raises some questions, but if he can leverage his experience and relationships effectively, he may be able to make meaningful progress on these difficult issues. Time will tell if he’s up to the challenge.
Kushner’s involvement in high-level diplomacy is a bit unconventional, but his familiarity with the Trump administration could be an asset. The key will be whether he can translate his negotiating skills to the international stage.
It’s an interesting choice to bring Kushner back into the foreign policy fold. His personal ties to Trump could help, but he’ll need to demonstrate impartiality and a nuanced understanding of complex geopolitical dynamics.
Bringing in Kushner signals Trump’s desire for a more experienced hand in delicate diplomacy. But his close ties to the administration may limit his credibility with some parties. Time will tell if he can broker meaningful progress.
Kushner’s involvement raises questions about the administration’s overall foreign policy strategy. Relying heavily on a family member, even one with some diplomatic experience, could undermine the process.
Kushner’s return to foreign policy comes at a critical time, with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. His real estate background could provide a fresh perspective, but he’ll need to prove his diplomatic chops.
It will be interesting to see how Kushner’s business acumen translates to high-stakes international negotiations. His ability to find pragmatic solutions could be an asset, if he can balance competing interests.
Interesting to see Kushner taking a more active diplomatic role under Trump 2.0. His experience could help bridge divides, but he’ll need to navigate tricky geopolitical dynamics carefully.
Agreed. Kushner’s involvement reflects the administration’s recognition of his diplomatic skills, but he’ll face significant challenges brokering peace deals in the current climate.
Given the complexity of the issues at hand, Kushner will need to draw on all his negotiating skills to make headway. His business background may provide a useful perspective, but he’ll have to prove he can navigate the geopolitical landscape.
Kushner’s return to foreign policy is a bold move, but one that could pay dividends if he can leverage his experience and relationships to find creative solutions. The stakes are high, so he’ll have to tread carefully.