1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I am writing to express serious concern about the Trump administration's decision to send Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to conduct nuclear negotiations with Iran. These individuals lack the diplomatic credentials and expertise necessary for negotiations of this magnitude and consequence. Witkoff and Araghchi are scheduled to meet Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal, marking the first meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials since negotiations collapsed last June. This meeting occurs during a massive U.S. military buildup in the Gulf, with President Trump stating that a swift deal is the only way to avoid military conflict. The stakes could not be higher, yet the administration has chosen envoys without relevant foreign policy experience or Senate confirmation. Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and adviser, will participate in trilateral peace talks with Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi before joining Witkoff for discussions with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani on Thursday. They will then proceed to the Istanbul summit on Friday, which will include foreign ministers from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. These are complex, multilateral negotiations involving nuclear proliferation, regional security, and the potential for military conflict. A significant challenge already exists: the Trump administration demands any deal cover Iran's nuclear program, missile program, and regional proxies, while Iran insists only the nuclear issue is negotiable. Navigating this divide requires seasoned diplomats with deep understanding of nonproliferation frameworks, Middle East geopolitics, and international law, not real estate developers and presidential relatives. I urge you to publicly call for qualified, Senate-confirmed diplomats to lead these negotiations. The American people deserve representatives with appropriate expertise conducting talks that could determine whether we enter another Middle East war. Please use your position to demand accountability in this critical diplomatic process.