Now, With the Nuclear Program Still a Concern, the Administration Has Struggled to Restore the Status Quo

I would suggest to him, though, that the solution is not to do the same thing that he's been doing — not to have his real estate buddy and his son-in-law in charge of a negotiation, Kelly said. He added that Trump should "put some people in here that know how to do this, how to talk to the Iranians, and put a coalition together, bring our allies back together. Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut, has been a leading critic of the administration's foreign policy since Trump launched strikes on Iran in late February, vowing to dismantle the country's nuclear program.

He previously clashed with the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who attempted to change Kelly's military rank in a move a judge later ruled illegal and reversed. The senator and others have questioned the necessity of the renewed campaign, noting that U.S. strikes last summer supposedly "obliterated" three Iranian nuclear development facilities. Now, with the nuclear program still a concern, the administration has struggled to restore the status quo.

A deal announced in June, which reopened the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping, has since collapsed along with the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. White House officials have spent months trying to force Iran to reopen the strait or guarantee safe passage for shipping, without success. Trump has recently signaled little interest in further negotiation, claiming Iran frequently reneges on its commitments.

The uncertainty has roiled global oil markets, with U.S. gas prices averaging well above $4 a gallon, denting the summer travel season and driving up costs across the economy. Grocery prices remain high, and Republicans have struggled to convince voters they are focused on affordability, as Trump's approval rating has sunk to some of its lowest recorded levels. Democrats, however, do not poll better on Iran, with the party split between hawks who cheered the initial strikes and those calling for restraint.

On Saturday, Trump touted the prospect of another ceasefire on Truth Social, claiming he had called off a wave of U.S. strikes to allow negotiations to continue. "Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE, he wrote. Witkoff and Kushner, who were also tasked with ending the Russia-Ukraine war — a conflict Trump promised to resolve on his first day back in office — have reportedly been considering a visit to Kyiv this month, which would be their first trip to Ukraine.