The Price America Pays for Trump's Reliance on Kushner the Closer
Trump trusts Kushner to open doors traditional diplomats cannot. But who is there to stop the doors from swinging shut again?
On Sunday, Jared Kushner met with the leader of Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, in a room previously off-limits to Washington for three decades. This was just one part of Trump's son-in-law's Middle East tour, where he was attempting to revive stalled Gaza peace talks. However, both the 60-day window for U.S.-Iran negotiations and the Iran deal itself were set to expire that day, with no progress made on Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, or Tehran's claim to control it.
Kushner's reputation as an effective negotiator was questioned given these failures, as his team of special envoys could not be everywhere at once without the support of full-fledged ambassadors and diplomats. Critics argue that Kushner's role is nepotism, but the study cited in The Hague Journal of Diplomacy reveals that special envoys provide immediate political clout and tailored mandates for crises, but require strong diplomatic support to consistently deliver results.
This support has been lacking under Trump, as ambassadors and senior diplomatic positions have been vacant in numerous countries. The lack of these key players has impeded the implementation of deals struck by special envoys like Kushner.
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