Kilmeade calls for Trump to ditch Witkoff, Kushner in Iran talks

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade this week suggested that President Donald Trump should shake up his diplomatic staff and keep special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff out of the Iran negotiations.

Kushner and Witkoff have served as special envoys in the Trump administration, spearheading negotiations to end conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran, albeit without reaching final agreements. Kilmeade, for his part, suggested that the pair's track record signaled they shouldn't be relied on in the latest conflict.

“I also don’t think that Witkoff and Kushner should be the ones doing this. They’re business guys,” he said. “They have not been effective in Ukraine, not been effective in Gaza, they have not been effective in this." Kilmeade then suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio should lead the negotiations.

Witkoff's initial claim to fame was his presence golfing with Trump during Ryan Routh's assassination attempt. He was later named special envoy and quickly worked to secure an initial ceasefire in Gaza before Trump formally took office.

He has not, however, been able to negotiate a lasting agreement to either the Ukraine conflict or the Iran war. Kushner, for his part, was instrumental in negotiating the Abraham Accords during Trump's first term.

But even the pair together have not been able to secure an end to the Iran war or a deal to denuclearize the country. Fighting resumed this week.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.