Peace deals are real estate deals

Kushner and Witkoff have been tasked with ending wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran. Kushner sees diplomacy as simple bargaining, not requiring deep knowledge of history or positions.

“Peace deals are like real-estate deals, he has said. Both involve hard bargaining and, at times, bluffing.”

No technical advisers in the room

When negotiating Iran's nuclear program, neither Kushner nor Witkoff brought technical experts. They ran Iran talks in the morning, Ukraine talks in the afternoon.

“For them not to have technical advisers there is just total malpractice.”

Missing what Iran offered

When Iran's foreign minister offered concessions, the Americans failed to grasp what was on the table. Iran proposed suspending enrichment entirely, something they'd never done before.

“You can tell by what Kushner and Witkoff are saying that they don't understand a lot of the technical issues.”

Oman's desperate plea for patience

The host of the Geneva talks flew to Washington to try to prevent war. Unable to see Trump, he met Vance, then went on CBS to say the peace deal was within reach.

“The peace deal is within our reach.”

Hours later, war began

Kushner and Witkoff told Trump the Iranians refused to capitulate. The U.S. and Israel then launched strikes killing Ayatollah Khamenei and Iran's senior leaders.

“Why so soon do you then start a war and take out the entire leadership? It just wasn't that urgent.”

Seven months mired in war

The U.S. has bombed civilian water supplies, accidentally killed over a hundred schoolgirls, and depleted missile stockpiles. Iran's regime grew even more hardline.

Billions in his private fund

As Kushner negotiated with Iran, he was also managing billions in investments that other governments in the region had made in his private equity fund.

“They go into these meetings, and they are doing business right alongside their diplomacy.”

Ukraine seen as a real estate deal

Kushner and Witkoff believed Putin was a good guy and the Russian Army invincible. They emerged with a plan requiring Ukraine to accept nearly all Russian demands.

“They think this is a real-estate deal. They don't seem to understand this is a war.”

Russian business deals on the table

A European intelligence report lists ten potential ventures in Russia, including Nord Stream 2 and oil drilling. The deals would be executed once Trump delivers a peace deal.

Harvard admission for $2.5 million

Kushner was a middling student at his Jewish day school. He got into Harvard after his father pledged $2.5 million, with donations beginning once classes started.

“He's a parody of someone to whom everything has been given.”

Revenge on Chris Christie

Christie prosecuted Kushner's father for tax evasion and witness tampering. In 2016, Kushner convinced Trump to fire Christie from the transition team.

“Jared had been taking a meat-axe to my head with Trump for weeks.”

Friendship with M.B.S. on a yacht

Kushner and Mohammed bin Salman became close friends, cruising the Red Sea on M.B.S.'s half-billion-dollar yacht. Both saw themselves as innovative leaders.

“Then there's Jared, this wispy white boy.”

Green light to depose a rival

In a secretly recorded call, Kushner told M.B.S. that everyone except intelligence agencies was behind him. M.B.S. then forced his rival to relinquish power.

“It was the green light.”

Defending M.B.S. after Khashoggi

When U.S. intelligence concluded M.B.S. ordered Khashoggi's murder, Kushner defended him inside the White House. Trump said M.B.S. knew nothing about it.

“Things happen.”

Two billion from Saudi Arabia

After leaving the White House, Kushner sought foreign investors for his fund to avoid media attention. Saudi advisers called his firm unsatisfactory, but M.B.S. overruled them.

“Why did Jared Kushner receive two billion dollars, with a 'B,' from the Saudi government just two months after leaving the White House?”

Barely invested, millions in fees

Three years into a five-year term, Affinity had invested barely a third of three billion dollars. It had collected $157 million in fees with no returns yet.

New billions before the election

Qatar and the U.A.E. made new contributions totalling $1.5 billion just before the 2024 election. Kushner waited until afterward to speak publicly about them.

“All the Middle Eastern countries invest in Jared's fund, and they suck his dick, so they can get political favors from the Trump Administration.”

Gaza as Miami Beach

Kushner presented a vision of Gaza's future with shiny condominiums, office towers, and high-speed rail. The price would be $112 billion from international donors.

“People were rolling their eyes. It struck everybody as a complete fantasy.”

Trump forced the ceasefire

After Israel bombed Qatar and killed a Hamas negotiator's son, Trump was furious. He called Netanyahu and said stop the bombing. That ended the fighting.

“Jared and Witkoff didn't really do the ceasefire. Trump called Bibi and said, 'Stop the goddam bombing,' and that was the end of it.”

Gaza peace plan collapses

A twenty-point agreement called for Hamas disarmament and Israeli withdrawal. But Hamas won't surrender weapons, Israel controls half of Gaza, and no reconstruction money has been deposited.