Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade has publicly urged President Donald Trump to remove his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, from his role in the stalled peace talks with Iran. Kilmeade expressed his strong reservations on Friday's edition of The Five, stating that Kushner and fellow U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Steve Witkoff have not been effective in their diplomatic efforts.
Kilmeade specifically criticized a 14-point document developed by Kushner and Witkoff, describing it as if "Iran wrote it." He also pointed to their perceived ineffectiveness in other international matters, including Ukraine and Gaza, before extending his critique to the current Iran negotiations. "They have not been effective in this," Kilmeade stated.
He proposed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a superior choice for leading the diplomatic efforts, noting that even Democrats view Rubio as a highly capable foreign policy mind. "We have a State Department for a reason," Kilmeade argued, advocating for the department to take the lead. He emphasized that the situation requires an understanding of the region's history and Iran's deep-seated distrust, rather than a business-deal approach.
Kilmeade's primary concern appears to be the framework of the proposed deal, which he believes would allow Iran to co-run the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. He warned that controlling the strait is a critical strategic objective for Iran, potentially more valuable than a nuclear weapon. "The strait is their new nuclear weapon," Kilmeade asserted, referencing Point 14 of the Memorandum of Understanding that outlines joint administration of the strait.
The Fox News anchor called the agreement "unbelievable," especially in light of renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran this week. He suggested that Iran missed an opportunity for a more favorable outcome by not adhering to a deal that would have involved leaving the strait alone in exchange for eventual access to frozen funds and the ability to sell oil. Instead, he detailed the current situation involving a damaged economy, infrastructure attacks on Iran, and the resumption of hostilities.
Trump confirmed on Truth Social that the ceasefire had ended following strikes on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, though he also stated that Iran had requested continued talks, to which the U.S. had agreed. The war in Iran has now entered its fifth month. Kushner, married to Ivanka Trump, previously served as a senior advisor and returned to an informal advisory role last year before being appointed Special Envoy in February. He was recently seen attending the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Idaho with Ivanka Trump.