Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) blasted the Trump administration’s diplomatic team Saturday, questioning the credentials of special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner leading high-stakes Iran negotiations.
“You can’t send the two real estate developers to negotiate a peace with another region,” Kelly said at the National Action Network Convention in New York City.
Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump and husband of Ivanka Trump, built his wealth over several years as a real estate investor through the family-run Kushner Companies in New York City.
Witkoff, founder of the Witkoff Group, has been a friend of Trump for four decades. He also leads World Liberty Financial (CRYPTO: WLFI), the president’s crypto finance venture, making him one of the more unconventional diplomatic envoys.
First U.S.-Iran Face-to-Face Talks Since 1979
Witkoff and Kushner are part of a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance that is holding direct talks with Iranian officials on Saturday in Islamabad. It is the first such meeting since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The two have spearheaded U.S. diplomacy in Trump’s second term, covering the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran’s nuclear program, and the Gaza ceasefire.
Kelly Blasts Trump’s ‘No Plan’ War Strategy
Kelly, speaking at the National Action Network Convention, criticized Trump for his handling of the conflict, stating that Trump went into it “without a plan, without a timeline, without an exit strategy.”
He also squarely blamed Trump for Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint handling roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply.
In his appearance, the potential Democratic presidential contender for 2028 also criticized Trump for not consulting U.S. allies before launching initial strikes in late February, saying his decisions have “alienated our allies.”
Accusations Amid Peace Talk
The talks in Islamabad come after a six-week conflict with Iran that began following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran. The fighting has resulted in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an important shipping route for global oil supplies. Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of violating the terms of its 10-point peace proposal, while the U.S. has accused Tehran of obstructing the safe passage of ships through the strait.
Trump expressed confidence on Friday, stating that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen “fairly soon,” without specifying the steps to be taken.
Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, also warned that the standoff hands Iran “a strategic asset they can exploit for decades.”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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