Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, the former Envoy under the Trump administration, has urged a reshuffle in the U.S. negotiating team, among other tactics to escalate pressure on Iran.
Kellogg is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who served as National Security Advisor to Trump on an acting basis from 2018 to 2019. During Trump’s second administration, he served as the U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, leading diplomatic efforts related to the ongoing conflict before departing from the position in January.
During Monday’s episode of Fox News Channel’s “America Reports,” Kellogg emphasized the necessity for a more robust approach in the face of the ongoing conflict. He argued that the team should not be filled with “real estate guys” but should instead consist of tough negotiators capable of effectively managing the situation.
“And I don’t think we have that right now,” he said.
Notably, the key members of the current negotiating team consist of Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump‘s son-in-law Jared Kushner, alongside Vice President JD Vance.
Kellogg further clarified that the nature of the war in Iran has evolved and the U.S. needs to adjust its strategies to match. He suggested that the existing negotiating team be replaced with “real hardcore” people who can handle tough negotiations adeptly.
“We ought to be doing right now because the war has changed right now in Iran,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg’s Roadmap On Iran
Kellogg’s indicated that airstrikes alone would not settle the conflict and proposed the deployment of ground troops to secure strategic targets. In his view, this would provide the president with leverage and control over Iran’s economy.
“You’re going to need ground troops to do something. That doesn’t mean they go all the way to Tehran,” the former Envoy added.
Among the other three suggestions, Kellogg said the President should continue targeting key Iranian leadership and strategic assets to pressure the regime, arguing it would make its leaders fear for their survival and weaken Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The former Envoy then said the U.S. should seize Iran’s Kharg Island and another strategic island to the East, arguing it would disrupt most of Iran’s energy exports and give the President leverage despite the risks of war.
Finally, Kellogg urged the U.S. to support Iranian opposition groups and revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the current regime, potentially with special operations assistance, as in Afghanistan. He also called on Trump to make the case directly to Americans, arguing that preventing a nuclear Iran is vital to avoiding a regional arms race and protecting future generations.
Former Trump Officials Back Tougher Iran Plan
Nearly five months into the Iran war, the conflict has disrupted the global economy and pushed up oil prices. Fighting has intensified with ten days of U.S. strikes, while Iran’s IRGC reported that two oil tankers exploded near the Strait of Hormuz.
Kellogg’s call for a tougher approach aligns with concerns expressed by Mark Esper, the former defense secretary in Trump’s first administration. Earlier this month, Esper warned that relying solely on aerial strikes might not lead to victory in a war against Iran.
Instead, he suggested that the U.S. should focus on economically “strangling” the Islamic Republic. He proposed two potential strategies: “One option is you resort to full military onslaught. The other one is you strangle them economically.”
Echoing the same, former National Security Advisor John Bolton said that the IRGC, not the country’s civilian leadership, is driving Tehran’s military and security decisions. He argued that the U.S. should make dismantling the IRGC its primary objective, saying recent attacks on U.S. bases and the deaths of American service members justify a broader campaign aimed at creating the conditions for regime change in Iran.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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