Republican Senator Criticizes Kushner and Witkoff's Assignment to Gaza and Iran Files: 'They Lack Experience'

Republican Senator Thom Tillis expressed his strong surprise at the assignment of the most complex foreign policy files to Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, questioning the usefulness of their leadership in peace talks with international powers such as Russia and Iran. Tillis pointed out that the two men clearly lack deep experience in international diplomatic affairs, in addition to bypassing the constitutional procedures of gaining Senate approval.

Tillis affirmed in press statements that managing hot files such as the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip and the war in Ukraine, in addition to escalating tensions with Tehran, should not be left in the hands of figures who have not undergone official scrutiny. While acknowledging Kushner and Witkoff's success in the world of finance and business as brilliant negotiators, he stressed that diplomatic work and national security require entirely different standards.

The Republican Senator described placing Kushner and Witkoff at the head of these high-stakes negotiations as 'senseless' in the current political context. He explained that confining geographically and politically diverse files to only two individuals raises many questions about decision-making mechanisms within the US administration, especially in the absence of parliamentary accountability for their international actions.

In a related context, criticism was not limited to the Republican side, as Democratic representatives in Congress expressed their concerns about Kushner's growing role given his limited background in foreign policy. Democrats raised questions about conflicts of interest, especially regarding the investments of Kushner's company 'Affinity Partners,' which received massive funding from sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf region.

For their part, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chris Murphy led a campaign to warn against the overlap between Steve Witkoff's business interests and diplomatic duties. These warnings came after Witkoff's statements in which he confirmed his separation from his private company before assuming his duties as a special envoy for former President Donald Trump, which observers consider insufficient to dispel concerns.

On the ground, sources reported that Kushner and Witkoff were in Geneva, Switzerland, last Thursday for what were described as sensitive negotiations with the Iranian side. These talks aim to reach a new deal regarding Iran's nuclear program, a step that could determine the path of military escalation or de-escalation in the region in the coming period.

The round of negotiations included meetings with Omani officials, as Muscat plays the traditional mediator role between Washington and Tehran in thorny issues. These moves come at a sensitive time when the world awaits the nature of the decisions the US administration may take regarding potential missile strikes or a return to comprehensive diplomacy.

It is questionable to negotiate peace in Ukraine, or the Iranian situation, or Gaza, and for it to be the same two people; this makes no sense to me.