Trump Turns to Military Leaders for Diplomacy on Iran and Ukraine

Unusual move signals potential shift in foreign policy approach

Feb. 7, 2026 at 1:55pm

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President Donald Trump has taken an unusual step of turning to military leaders for high-level diplomacy, with the top U.S. commander in the Middle East involved in talks over Iran's nuclear program and the Army secretary engaged in negotiations to try to end the Russia-Ukraine war. This reflects how the Trump administration has upended traditional U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy, with envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner balancing both sets of difficult negotiations.

Why it matters

Traditionally, diplomacy has been led by the State Department and other civilian agencies, so Trump's reliance on military leaders for these sensitive negotiations represents a significant shift in foreign policy approach. It's unclear if this is due to the military leaders' expertise, connections, or to signal potentially tougher options.

The details

President Trump has turned to the top U.S. commander in the Middle East to be involved in talks over Iran's nuclear program, and has also engaged his Army secretary in negotiations to try to end the Russia-Ukraine war. This marks an unusual step, as diplomacy is typically handled by civilian agencies like the State Department, rather than the military.

  • The diplomatic efforts involving military leaders are ongoing.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

Steve Witkoff

A diplomatic envoy working on the negotiations.

Jared Kushner

Trump's son-in-law, who is also involved in the diplomatic efforts.

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The takeaway

Trump's reliance on military leaders for sensitive diplomatic negotiations, rather than traditional civilian agencies, represents a significant shift in foreign policy approach that could signal a tougher stance on issues like Iran and Ukraine.