In his second term, Trump’s ceasefires are performative feints—alternating annihilation threats with abrupt peace deals—designed more for domestic optics than ending conflicts
with reports that Iranian officials had to explain basic nuclear concepts to Witkoff.
Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, has raised billions from Persian Gulf sovereign wealth funds—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE - while he negotiates with those same countries. Critics argue this merges personal business interests with foreign policy.
Kushner has argued that peace negotiations are similar to business, stating he prefers to "focus on interests over values" and that he does not "need a history lesson" regarding Middle Eastern conflicts. Critics argue this approach downplays the historical context and deep-seated conflicts that make traditional diplomacy necessary.
Witkoff was criticized for allegedly mischaracterizing Iranian positions to the media, specifically regarding the state of Iran's uranium enrichment.
Reports in March and April 2026 indicated that Iranian officials became reluctant to engage directly with Kushner and Witkoff, preferring other negotiators.
Kushner has been criticized for promoting the redevelopment of Gaza as prime real estate, a proposal critics accused of bordering on advocating for ethnic cleansing.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the team, stating they have successfully "ended the war between Israel and Hamas" and that their results "speak for themselves". Observers view this claim as dubious because the entire Hamas-Israel conflict has remained unresolved. In the case of Gaza, Kushner was seeking to benefit as Real Estate operator, and clearly mediators with vested interests fail to qualify as mediators.
Conclusion
In the end, what is presented as strategy is little more than improvisation dressed as power—an erratic choreography of threats and retreats that seeks not peace, but applause. Trump’s ceasefires do not end wars; they repackage them, leaving behind a trail of instability while declaring triumph. And in that contradiction lies the truth: this was never diplomacy - it was always theatre.
