Republican Senator Thom Tillis is openly questioning why Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are the ones leading crucial peace talks with Russia, Iran, and Israel. He’s concerned about their general lack of foreign policy experience and the fact that they haven’t gone through any formal Senate confirmation processes.
According to The Hill, Tillis, who represents North Carolina, told Jonathan Karl that high-stakes negotiations to resolve violence in Ukraine and Gaza, along with a potential conflict with Iran, shouldn’t be handled by Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner, or Trump ally Witkoff, who made his fortune in real estate.
“Kushner and Witkoff are very accomplished businesspeople. I’m sure they’re good negotiators, but they’re not subject to Senate confirmation, and they’re not subject to oversight.” He believes putting these two in charge of such critical foreign policy and national security discussions “doesn’t make any sense.”
I’m glad someone said it!
Tillis also found it suspect that the same two individuals are negotiating so many different, complex situations. “It is suspect that you can negotiate a Ukraine peace, an Iranian situation, a Gaza situation, and whatever, and be the same two people,” he said. “That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Over the past month, Tillis has been increasingly vocal in his criticism of the Trump administration. He has been clear and adamant about anything he finds wrong, from refusing to confirm Trump’s pick for the head of the Federal Reserve to condemning the DOJ’s pursuit of Trump opponents.
Right now, Kushner and Witkoff are in Geneva, attempting to negotiate a deal with Iran to end its nuclear weapons program. These talks are super important and could even influence whether Trump decides on missile strikes against Iran in the near future. While there, the special envoys met with Oman’s foreign minister, who is acting as a broker in these discussions.
Just a few days prior, Witkoff and Kushner were involved in talks to end the war in Ukraine. They are also working to set up Trump’s Board of Peace, which aims to maintain stability and order in Gaza.
It’s not just Republicans raising eyebrows either. Democrats have also criticized Kushner’s prominent role despite his limited experience in foreign policy. They’ve also expressed concerns about the $2 billion investment his company, Affinity Partners, received from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. That kind of money always raises questions, especially when tied to international dealings.
Democrats have also voiced criticism regarding Witkoff’s family business ventures. Specifically, they’ve highlighted his role in co-founding World Liberty Financial (WLF), a cryptocurrency company, with his sons and members of Trump’s family. The alarm bells really started ringing for Democrats after a firm backed by the United Arab Emirates invested another $2 billion in WLF’s stablecoin.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy raised particular concerns after Witkoff stated he had stepped away from the company before becoming Trump’s special envoy. Many in Washington are looking for more clarity and accountability. Will they get it? Well, judging by everything this administration has done, probably… not.
Published: Feb 27, 2026 07:17 am