‘There’s been really no progress’: Reporter Challenges Peace Envoy Jared Kushner About Why Anyone Should Trust Him. Then He Gets Defensive
Success not guaranteed.
Jared Kushner faced direct scrutiny on Sunday, September 6, 2026, regarding his diplomatic track record during a press conference in Kyiv. At the conference, Kusher was asked why anyone should have any confidence in his ability to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to Huff Post, the question came from NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel.
Engel pointedly highlighted that previous negotiations involving Kushner, such as those concerning Palestine and Iran, have failed to produce tangible progress or end ongoing conflicts. The exchange grew tense as Engel questioned the likelihood of success in the current peace efforts given that past involvements have not yielded results.
Kushner, who is the son-in-law of President Donald Trump and married to Ivanka Trump, responded by becoming defensive about his role as a U.S. special envoy. He described these diplomatic challenges as some of the hardest problem sets in the world, suggesting that the effort itself is what matters.
Kushner then shifted the onus on Trump
During his response, Kushner emphasized that he and his partner, billionaire real estate investor Steve Witkoff, are representing President Trump and following his specific approach. Kushner noted that they are not bringing their own individual methods to the table, but are instead executing the strategy that the President wants to see.
He pointed to his work during the first term of President Trump as evidence of what is possible. Kushner cited the 2020 Abraham Accords, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, and his role in securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup and upcoming Olympic events.
Kushner told Engel that the tone of the question seemed to imply that he should have already achieved every single impossible thing. He stated that he and Witkoff are honored to have the opportunity to work on these matters under the leadership of President Trump.
According to Mediaite, while Trump’s son-in-law acknowledged that he cannot guarantee success, he promised that he and Witkoff are doing everything they can to find a way out of the current situation. He also noted that if the answer to these conflicts were simple, someone would have already solved them.
The diplomatic mission involving Kushner and Witkoff has faced a harsh reality on the ground
Following their visit to both Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend, a three-day ceasefire that had been observed by both sides came to an abrupt end. Politico reported that on Tuesday, September 8, Russia resumed airstrikes on Kyiv, resulting in the death of at least two people, with later reports indicating that at least 12 people were killed overnight from Monday into Tuesday.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the strikes damaged residential buildings, schools, warehouses, and administrative buildings across six districts of the capital. The attacks extended beyond Kyiv into the Odessa region, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a complex strike intended to cause as much harm as possible.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha remarked that the ballistic missiles used in the attack speak louder than words on diplomacy. This escalation occurred shortly after the departure of the U.S. envoys, who had visited Kyiv following meetings with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Kushner has previously faced criticism regarding potential conflicts of interest
The U.S. Peace Envoy has served as a Trump adviser handling diplomatic efforts with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Kushner has done so while simultaneously running a private equity firm that receives significant funding from those same governments.
He also maintains close ties to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During a 2024 Harvard event, Kushner suggested that the waterfront property in Gaza could be very valuable and recommended that Israel should move the people out and then clean it.
Despite the skepticism surrounding his past work, Kushner maintains that the administration is committed to pursuing difficult objectives regardless of criticism. He stated that President Trump has a track record of doing impossible things and that they will continue to try, as doing nothing would result in no change. As the situation continues to unfold, the effectiveness of these renewed peace efforts remains a significant point of international focus.
(Featured image: Gage Skidmore)
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