Steve Witkoff’s Critical Role in Negotiating Global Peace, and the Warmongers Trying to Stop Him

Steve, thank you so much for. coming. So I think you've had one of. the most, maybe the most remarkable. life trajectories of anyone I've. ever met. Um, and you wind up, you. know, close to Trump, you campaigned. with Trump. You've done, I mean, you're an intimate friend of the. presidents and you could have had. any job you don't want any job, um, cause you're doing your own thing. and then he taps you. as a, as a, as. a diplomat, as a negotiator on. behalf of him and you. wind up becoming probably. the most effective negotiator in my.

lifetime. And you speak for the president, I. think everyone acknowledges that. you're honest and. people like you personally. So those are obviously the. foundations of effective diplomacy. But what have you learned? negotiating on behalf of a country. in the last couple of months.

Well, first of all, I think. President Trump sets the table. for all of us. He really does. This whole peace through strength. thing, it's not just a slogan, it actually works. And so when he dispatches you. to go to the Middle East, people are almost a little bit.

intimidated before. you get there. And this goes for me. and other people who are doing. a similar job. So he sets the table in a pretty. powerful way. But negotiating is being. outcome oriented. I talk about this a lot. It's figuring out where you want to. get to. That's Trump's game plan all. the time. I sit with the president and. we talk often about. what the end game is. Where does he want to get to? And once you decide where you want.

to get to, then it's all about. tactically figuring out what that. pathway is. With the Middle Eastern, you know, Tucker, when I. first got in, And I was talking. to Brett McGurk, who was the envoy. on behalf of Biden. He was a smart guy. Yes. He just didn't have a great boss. giving him direction. So he couldn't really speak on. behalf of Biden. I was able to speak on behalf of. Trump because we talked about it. We had a great conversation about. it. He said to me, this is where.

I want to get to, Steve. And so when I went in there, I went. in with the imprimatur of the. president and it became a, you know, that's the difference maker. But I mean, clearly, and no one doubts that you speak. for the president, that you know. what the president wants because you. know the president. You actually. talk to him. You're not some guy he. just hired. And that makes a huge difference. But it also seems like you think. through where whoever you're. negotiating with is coming from. Like, what do they want? Well, there's no doubt I'm always.

trying to put myself in the shoes. of the other person because a good. deal has to work for everybody. But I want to just say this, when I say I speak for the. president, it's not because I. presume what he's. thinking. It's because I ask what. he's thinking. He is the president. I'm in my job only because of. him. And to me, I give him the respect of always. asking the question, where. do you want to get to, Mr. President? And so... That's critical.

So now I know where he stands. and now it's about tactics. From the, as you talk about. from the other side standpoint, it's. important for me to know or to have. a feeling of where the Israelis want. to get to. What about the Qataris? They're the mediators at the table. What do they want to accomplish. here? What about Hamas? Where are they? Will they really. demilitarize? Is that something they'll do? Will they take the golden bridge. out of Gaza? All of these are considerations. But first, I have to find out.

where the boss wants to end up, and. the boss is President Trump. feels forbidden for you to. say what you just said. So what does Israel want? Obviously a critical, the key. question, but there are other. players and what do they. want? And I don't know that I've heard. anybody say that out loud ever, any American say that out loud. And I think you've been criticized. for saying that out loud. Well, I think it's important to. recognize that everybody.

may want something. I think in the case of the Qataris, they're criticized for not. being well-motivated. It's preposterous. They are well-motivated. They're good, decent people. What they want is a mediation. that's effective that gets to a. peace goal. And why? Because they're a small nation, and. they want to be acknowledged as a. peacemaker. And I think the president realizes. that, and I realize that today. But we have to know that if they had. a different agenda, it would be. important for us to know that. different agenda.

I think if they had a different. agenda, it would be fine as. long as we weren't operating blind. And operating blind is really the. problem in a negotiation like. this. You have to know where. everybody stands. Just laughing because what you're. saying is so obviously true. It's a prerequisite to getting a. deal. And yet it is so. different from the posture. that the last couple of. generations of diplomats have taken, which is like, here's what we want, shut up and do it.

And I just don't think, leaving. aside like moral considerations, I. don't think it's been very effective. Well, you know, here's an example, Gaza and what the president. set forth is what he wanted to. do with Gaza. I came back from. my first trip. This is before he. was inaugurated, where we had. permission from the Biden. administration to collaborate with. them. Yes. And the president said, when do. you think Gaza can be reconstructed? 15 years was my answer, maybe 20. And he said, why?

I said, I gave him the battlefield. conditions. I was in Gaza, actually. that it's been decimated, it's been destroyed. There are tunnels underneath, so. think Swiss cheese underneath, and. then they got hit with bunker buster. bombs. So there's no. rock there anymore. There's no place to put footings if. you're gonna build buildings. And yet the whole world thought that. this was a five-year reconstruction. plan, and why? Because the Biden May 27th. Protocol, which is the operating. agreement pursuant to which the. negotiation between Hamas.

and the U.S. government and Israel happen. Talks about a five-year plan, but it's those are that's a false. set of facts Level. setting the facts you have. to acknowledge that it's a 15 to 20. year plan when we first started. talking 15 to 20 years Everyone. said that that we didn't know what. we were talking about until the. journal wrote an article and said 15. to 20 years Yes, so. the president's plan about. casa was all about.

How do we How do we put. people back in a battle zone. where there are munitions all over. the field or where there are these. latent conditions so that. a kid could fall into a hole and go. 40, 50, 60 feet down. and you'd never know that he was. there. Who would do such a thing? If we had buildings in those. conditions in New York, there would. be yellow tape all around and. no one would be allowed in. So, and then of course he got. criticized for that as if he was. looking to create a beachside.

community gleaming towers. and casinos. It was preposterous, he was being. realistic about how. you needed to consider Gaza. I think it's really important that. when you're making these decisions. that you level set the facts. And that was my instructions from. President Trump. Go out there, level set the facts, figure out what it is, and then. we'll make decisions about where. we wanna see Gaza going to. And I think we've got a better, that's a better program. Definitely a better program. I mean, operating on the basis of.

honesty works. So, okay, I. think the president's. goal is pretty clear, he said it. many times, he campaigned on it, he. was elected on it, which is we want. stability and peace in the world. It's not good for anybody when we. don't have that. But to the extent that you. understand it, and since you're. one of the few people who seems. willing to say it out loud, can you. just describe the three players. in the. current conflict, the Middle East, the big ones. Can you go through and tell us what.

you think each one wants? What's their goal? So Israel. Hamas and Qatar. So I think Qatar is a small nation, probably has the highest. GDP per capita, per person, of anyone in the world, huge, huge reserves. I think they want stability. I think they want a peace treaty. from the United States. Why? Because, and all the Middle East, all the GCC countries want that, by. the way. This is an interesting.

point. Everybody thinks the peace. treaty is about physical defense. what it's really about. is the United States providing a. security wrapper so that they're all. financeable. Today, you can't borrow money in. those countries. So if you want to go do a deal in. Saudi Arabia, in the UAE, JP Morgan, if they are the. hypothetical bank, has to underwrite. war risk. They have to underwrite, will the. hoodies in Saudi Arabia fire. in a hypersonic missile and. destroy that AI data center that you.

just bought for $200 billion? That's a real problem. So a lot of these countries want. defense treaties. so that they're not just building. out of their pocket, they're taking. their oil money and they're actually. leveraging it and creating a better. economy long-term. So I think the Qataris want. stability and they don't get. enough credit for that motivation. It's a good motivation for their. people. Amen. But they're often accused, almost universally accused in the US. media of being agents of Iran.

It's preposterous. Look, they're a Muslim nation. In the past, they've had. some views that are a little. bit more radical. from an Islamist. standpoint than they are today, but. it's moderated quite a bit. There's no doubt that they're an. ally of the United States. There's no doubt about that. Thank you. Maybe a huge airbase there. By the way, and they pay for every. dollar of it. They don't have their hand out for a. thing. There is nothing that the.

United States has to fund with. regard to that air base. That's pretty unusual. That's amazing. So they fund. everything. They don't ask for much. I think I had a conversation with. General Carrillo, Eric Carrillo, who. runs Sencom, an amazing man. And I said to him, what do you think. of the Qataris? He says, they're. special people. So the people in the know know that. they're good, decent people. What does Hamas want? I think they want to stay there till. the end of time and they want to. rule Gaza. Yes. And that's unacceptable. So we have to know that. We had to know what they wanted.

What they want is unacceptable. What's acceptable to us is they need. to demilitarize. Then maybe they could stay there a. little bit, right? Be involved politically, but they. can't be involved. We can't have a terrorist. organization running Gaza. because that won't be acceptable to. Israel. then we'll just have the. same exact experiences. of every. Every five, 10, 15 years, we're gonna have an October 27th. October 7th, pardon me. So that's what Hamas wants. That's not possible.

What do they like to deal with? I've never really, I've never been. in the same room as. them, which is. a little bit weird, wouldn't you. say? Like a negotiation where you. don't have the other party? Like you don't even know if. the guy behind the wall is the. Wizard of Oz or he's not the Wizard. of Oz, right? So. So how do you keep, I mean, without, you know, giving away anything. you can. I think we trust the Qataris. If I didn't trust the Qataris, then. that would be really problematic, not meeting with Hamas.

And of course, you know, we read- So. you can communicate with Hamas. through the Qataris. Right, and Sheik Mohammed, the prime. minister of Qatar, is a good man. He's really- He certainly is a good. man. He's a special guy. He really is, and he cares, and I've. spent a lot of time with him, and. broken bread with him, and he's. just a good, decent human. being who wants what's best for his. people. but also like. what you were alluding to before, he's able to put himself in the. shoes of the Israelis, of the. United States, and I think.

explain to the Qataris, excuse me, explain to Hamas. where they're gonna have to get to. to make a deal. And do, I mean, from an American perspective, like. it's just hard to even. understand what Hamas. is thinking, or do you, but it's. essential to understand. I mean, just as a procedural matter, we need to know. Correct. So is it hard for you to understand? Like, do you feel like you can. effectively communicate. with them, even through proxy,

and understand what they want and. what their, you know, what their red. lines are or whatever? Can you negotiate with them? Well, it's hard, you know, I'll give. you an example of what makes it. hard. I went to Gaza, and then I had this fabulous. lunch with CENTCOM people, you. know, military guys. I shook hands with everybody I met, because who doesn't want to shake. the hand of these guys who are out. in the field, you know, they. protect our country. I'm talking about our military guys. And then they showed me, this is.

Southern Command of Israel, then. showed me a film of what happened on. October 7th. And the film is horrific. It is about. mass rapes. There's pictures of. Hamas people cutting the. head off of an Israeli soldier. I watched them saw the head off. I mean, it's really terrible. stuff and it's beyond what. I've ever seen. And it can taint. you, right? It can taint the way you're going. to, you know, the way you're.

going to. feel about these people. And I think sometimes as. a negotiator, you have to be dispassionate. It's not easy to. make. decisions if you're going to, but I. had to see that film, Tucker. I mean, that film is a reality. I mean, we can't ignore the reality. of what happened on October 7th. Now, they would tell you that. they've got justification, but. there's no justification for what. happened that day. There just isn't.

And unfortunately, there were. security lapses that day that. shouldn't have happened, that. accentuated what happened that day, which shouldn't have happened. But... Do we understand that? I think we understand that there. were security lapses, that there. were some mistakes that were made. But we're humans, we're. not robots, right? We're not completely overwhelmed by. AI right now. So people will make mistakes. There were intelligence mistakes, but there's some really good people. who were involved.

Here I you know, I met. some I met some exceptional people. in Israel I mean really some. exceptional people who yes, and it's. a difficult situation, but I. Think you have to know what Hamas. wants just to go back to your. question Yes, and then you've got to. figure out what you can give them. that allows them to. Walk out because that's. what's needed here. You know what we. heard in the beginning of this. conflict is Hamas is ideological. They're prepared to die. For a whole variety of reasons,

I personally, and I talk to the. president about this, there's. nothing I don't talk to the. president about before we're gonna. make a decision. Because he is. the guy. He was elected, I was. not, none of the other people were, he was elected. And I think that's how we have to. function. With that said, I said to him, I don't think that. they are as ideologically. locked in, they're not. ideologically intractable. I never believe that, by the way. I believe they strap on the suicide.

vest onto young kids who. don't know what they're doing, right? And they tell them a story. And once you understand that, once. you understand that they wanted to. live, then you were able to. talk to them in a more effective. way. that is smart, but it's how hard was it. to come to that conclusion. You know what, I get a lot of. intelligence reports so I'm able to. read things. And it just felt to me that. the rhythm and the cadence of.

the negotiation, that's. part of it too, right? If I'm not there all the time, I'm getting secondhand information. I had to feel it for myself. I had to be able to. sort of live it in. real time. And that's when I sort of came to. the conclusion that They. wanted alternatives. We're in a negotiation right now to. maybe stop some of these Israeli. strikes and maybe finish this. conflict with dialog. And if I don't have a. feeling that we.

can accomplish that, why would I. waste my time? Or the United States' time? Or, and worse yet, why would I put. the, why would I come to the. president, recommend to him that. we could finish something with. dialog? And then effectively, and then we can't be that effective. That's a bad policy prescription if. I'm not in this. thing, making those sort of. assessments and being able to come. back to the president and say, I think we can finish it with. dialog, or not.

And those, by the way, those calculations are going to be. the same with the Iranians, and. they're going to be the same with. the Russians and the Ukrainians, and. they're going to be the same with. Azerbaijan and Armenia. So those principles apply to. all of these conflicts that. that we're gonna. maybe talk about today. So it's not a conspiracy theory, it. turns out, to say there's fraud in. the government, whether it's. mysterious 150-year-olds cashing. checks or dead people. in the voter rolls, the system is.

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Go to identityguard.com slash Tucker. to claim this deal. Sign up before your. identity is stolen and the damage. is done. Identityguard.com slash. Tucker. I'm just going to say this. for a third time, I won't keep. repeating myself, but that's just. such a different way of looking at. the conflict, not just. in Gaza, but in. all the places you just mentioned, acknowledging that, you know, we're. on, we're sympathetic to one. side, but both sides. have an interest and like the. reason can still play a role in.

this. Negotiation can play a role, dialog can play a role. I just, I haven't heard anybody. say that in so long. and you've taken an. enormous amount of abuse. I don't even know if you're aware of. it because you're always on an airplane, but like in U.S. media and social media, attacking you is like an agent of. all kinds of different foreign. powers. He's working for Hamas, he's working. for the Qataris. Does that penetrate. at all? You know, in the beginning I didn't. like it. Yeah, I bet!

But one night I was reflecting. on what someone told me after my. son, Andrew, died, and they said. to me, you're never gonna have a. bigger hit than that in your life, losing a child. It's a bad club to. be a member of. Oh, there's nothing, nothing worse. Nothing worse. And then I began to get. like President Trump, not caring. what people said. I'd wake up in the morning, read the. paper, I'd read. some sort of explanation about. why I said something or did. something. And it was preposterous, Tucker,

just preposterous. So one day, what's that movie, there was some movie where they. kept, it won the Academy, I can't. remember the name, I Just Stop. Caring? Yes. I Just Stop Caring about what the. news media said about me. So I've experienced a. little bit of this myself, nothing. compared to what you've just. experienced, but it does seem like. some of these criticisms of you are. not actually sincere, nobody really. thinks. You're like, pro Hamas are working. for the Qataris. But the point is to throw you off.

balance and to. sort of put a leash around your neck. and control you. No doubt. Right? That's the agenda. That's the agenda. No doubt. And it seems to have had no effect. From all sides, of course! Oh, absolutely! I've had a couple of experiences. where first I was. attacked as being pro-Qatari. sympathizer. By the way, Qatar is a mediator. here. They're not a party to the conflict. They're a mediator. And by the way, they've mediated all over the world.

No different than the Swiss and the. Norwegians. They've mediated in Russia. They've mediated in Afghanistan. And God bless them. I know, and. they've done an effective job. They're good at it. So I am. How could I not collaborate. with the mediator and. be, if I'm not collaborating. with the mediator, I'm bound to be. ineffective. It's not even possible. that I. could do the job. I had to know. everything that they knew. So that means collaboration. And that's how President Trump.

operates too. I learned the business from. him. I went into the business. because of him, the real estate. business. And this is his ethos. This is how he operates. And so I'm really following him. in a certain respect. I didn't realize you went into that. so I didn't know I knew you'd known. him forever. I didn't know that. Oh no, I wanted to be him. By the way, everybody wanted to be. him. He'd come to 101 Park Avenue. where I was a lawyer. He had this swashbuckling style. I used to see him come in.

and I used to say, well, God, I want. to be him. I don't want to. be the lawyer. I don't want to be. the Scrivener. I want to be that man. Yeah, I can remember saying that. Yeah, he was like the Michael Jordan. to me, you know, of the real estate. business. It's incredible the. turns your life has taken, it's just. incredible. Well, when you have a. chance to sort it out when all this. is over, I think you're gonna look. at your own life and say, well, that. was amazing. Well, I've been blessed. I mean, it used to be that I. couldn't use the word blessing. because of my boy of.

his death. But now I can say I. was blessed but for this. overwhelming tragedy. And I think my son Tucker. allows me to be, to have this sense of, I relate to a lot of the hostage. families. Many of these families are. never gonna get their children back. The children have either been killed. or may in fact get. killed if we don't successfully. get to a peace program in Gaza. So I think that this.

sense of sensitivity. or empathy that I have, I can. relate to them. They all have my telephone numbers. I talk to them on a daily. basis. And I think that's been a. big, it's been a big help for them. But interestingly enough, it's been. a big help for me. I believe that. And I talked to the president about. this. I had hostage. families in the Oval Office the. other day. The president was tired. And he said to me, He knew they were at my office and. he said, bring them up, let me at.

least say hello to them and. get connected to them, but let. them know I only have a couple of. minutes, because it was a hectic. day. He spent an hour and a half. with them, talked to every one of. them, gave them his challenge. coin, every one of them, listened to. their stories. People who talked about children who. might not come home, many of these people were captives. themselves hostages. You know, it's a very real. experience when you sit. there and you listen to what it was.

like. Some of these people who lived. in cages were. chained 24 hours a day. Had, you know, we talked about what. it was like to find a bathroom, right, or what. it was like to live in the dark, or to be starving to death, you. know, as some of them were, or to. watch people be murdered. And the president, as a. president, he doesn't have to do. that if he doesn't want to. He could sort of get the information. just from me. But he's, it's up close. and personal for him. And that way of doing things.

guides people like me who work for. him. Now I want to get up. close and personal. That's why I went to Gaza. I was the first US official to. go to Gaza in 22 years. But how would you implement a peace. deal if you didn't go to the place. where the peace deal was being. implemented? I mean, it's curious, right? Like who would not, who. would. try to get, who would try to. get a peace deal done? And then it's all in the. implementation. So what the contract. says, what the writing says, now. we have to figure out the. battlefield conditions.

Nobody had been there. It's kind of crazy. Well, it is crazy. And it's connected to what you've. been saying for the last 20 minutes, which is you have to understand all. sides if you want to. affect the outcome that you've. decided you want. Correct. Yes. Again, that's a revolutionary. development in American diplomacy. And I just am thrilled to see it. So finally, the biggest player in. all of this, of course, is the. government of Israel. What is the government of Israel, leaving aside the population of.

Israel, I have no idea, but what is. the government making these. decisions? Well, I think that's complicated. I think they're well motivated. I think there are things. that they're trying to get done. You know, as an example, we. would not be as effective in what. we're doing there if Bibi. did not get Nezrallah. out of the picture in Lebanon. Right. If he did not decapitate, because he's effectively decapitated. Hezbollah. If he did not do what he did. with Hamas, he's decapitated.

Hamas. to masses. nowhere close to the terrorist. organization that they were. beforehand. Both of those events. inform on. his relationship with Iran. and Iran continuing. to use proxies and so forth. They are less prone to do those. sorts of things today, right? And so that sort. of Iranian crescent or that. Islamist crescent that. everybody thought was. was going to be effective,

it's been largely eliminated. So he's done an exceptional job. with that, but of course the rap he. gets is that he's more concerned. about the fight than he is about. the hostages. I think in some respects, I understand how people make that. assessment, but I don't necessarily. agree with it. I think that he does wanna get. hostages home, if he can, but he believes that. pressuring. Hamas is the only way. to do it.

I think in some respects, the. nuances here, the changes. that happen there on a day-to-day. basis, we. were at the Arab summit. a week and a half ago, we. made a proposal to Hamas. They considered it, they rejected it. the next day. We thought it was. unacceptable that they rejected it. Three days later, the Israelis went. in, guess what, they're talking. again. Stuff changes there, Tucker. Hour to hour. You really have to stay on top of.

it. I think B.B. feels that he's doing the right. thing. I think he goes up against public. opinion because public. opinion there wants those hostages. home. public opinion in Israel. In Israel. Yeah, you don't get that. sense, I don't think from American. media, but Israel has always. been, you know, there's been a. robust debate. since, you know, I started going to. Israel, that, you know, they have a. very vigorous debate internally. about their government. Like it's, you know, people feel. free to say.

I went to. Hostage Square, and I went with a detail. And my guys were afraid. for me to get out. There were, I don't know, four or. 5,000 people there. And we were passing by, and I said, let's. stop. There was no plan to go there, let's. stop. We didn't have a lot of security. with us. I knew it was gonna be fine. I came in there, I spent almost an. hour there. It was spiritual.

All the families were there. Postages who had been released were. there. People were crying. Look, getting, this has infected. Israel. It's fractured Israel. It's like a seam cutting right. through the soul of the country. We've gotta get these people back. I talked to, by the way, I talked to. Bibi about it. I talked to Dermer. about it, but. You know, they also have a view. strategically about. Hamas, how they have to be.

dealt with. I'm not sure, in some. respects, there are times that we. agree with each other, there are. times we slightly disagree, but I think they're well motivated, is my point. And our policy is that. Hamas cannot continue. to exist here. That's the. president's policy. And I'm a, you know, I'm someone who. follows the president, because. He's the one who got elected, and I. believe in his policy. And he got elected on, I think, a. pretty clear vision of.

how he wanted to manage the world. to the extent that we can. And again, it was, you know, no more chaos. And to the extent you can avoid it, no more wars. And Americans really responded. to that. And the world understands that. Like everyone kind of knows that's. the agenda. And you've said many. times, we talk through. what we want the outcome to be. before we begin the tactical. considerations. I just in my traveling, there are a lot of Gulf countries.

that are. you know, have extensive, very, much more than people. understand, relations with Israel. Some have signed the accord, others. haven't, but they all deal with the. Israelis all the time. They're not hostile to the Israelis. But not one person I've spoken to. understands what the long-term. vision is. Like, what's the plan. here? What are we, you know, if you. get everything you want, what does. it look like? Do you understand it? Well, I understand we have to have. that notion. I understand that we have to be.

outcome-oriented. What would be how we're operating. myopically if we're not. outcome-oriented. If we don't, I mean, peace, stability, the Gulf Coast could be one of the. most undervalued opportunities. if we get peace and stability. throughout the region. If we solve Iran and. you can finance in that market, the. Israelis are brilliant. from a technological standpoint, they've got a huge technological. base. there, they're.

in AI, robotics, blockchain, that's. where the UAE is today. That's where Saudi Arabia is today, that's where Qatar is today. Can you imagine all these countries. working collaboratively together and. creating that type of market? It could be much bigger than Europe. Europe is dysfunctional today. Imagine if they became functional. and everybody's a business guy. there. I completely agree. I think the core question is the. map. You know, for thousands of years. it's been about the land. What does the map look like? Who controls what?

And it's clearly. had a destabilizing effect on some. of the poor, more populated. countries in there. No doubt. specifically Jordan in. Egypt, a hundred million. people in Egypt. I think it might be helpful for. everybody if there was just a clear. picture of when this is all done, here's what we want the map to be. and then we can debate that. Do you have any sense of what the. map would look like from Israel's. perspective? When you say the map, you mean what? What countries? Well, what, okay, so Israel's. moved into Lebanon and Syria,

they're not part of Israel, but they. control them. So when all this is over, what does the Israeli government. hope to control? And then if that were clear, then I think people would say, you. know, they can either live with it. or they can't, but it. would have a calming effect. if people knew what the goal was. I would say the goal begins. with, how do we deal with Iran? That's the biggie. Yeah. So the first is nuclear. Yeah. We cannot have that.

Right. And we can talk about. it in this session, how bold it was. for the president to send that. letter, because many would not, and that's an important thing, but. I'll leave it to the end. So it begins with. Iranian nuclear, but most. importantly, because Iranian. nuclear, if they were to have a. bomb. that would create North Korea in. the GCC. We cannot have that. North Korea, where they are, has. outsized influence as a very small. nation. We can never allow someone.

to have a nuclear weapon. and have outsized influence. That doesn't work. So if we can solve for that, which I'm hopeful that we can, and we can talk about that too, the next thing we need to deal with. Iran is that they're being. a benefactor of these proxy armies. Request We've proven. that that's not existential. We've, for all intents and purposes, destroyed Hezbollah. So they're not really an existential. risk.

Hamas, same thing. The Houthis, we're having, you know, we're in a conflict with. them today. I think we'll prove that they won't. be an existential risk either. But if we can get these terrorist. organizations eliminated as. risks, not existential, but still risks, they're. destabilizing risks. will normalize everywhere. I think Lebanon could normalize with. Israel, literally. Normalize meaning a peace treaty. with the two countries. That's really possible.

Syria too. The indications are that Jalani. is a different person than he once. was and people do change. You at 55 are completely different. than how you were at. 35. That's for sure. And I say to myself, I'm a different. person today at 68. years old. I'm not the person I knew. 30 years ago. So maybe Jelani in Syria. is a different guy. They've driven Iran out. Imagine if Lebanon. normalizes, Syria.

normalizes, and the. Saudis sign a normalization treaty. with Israel because there's a peace. in Gaza. They must have that as. a prerequisite. That's a condition precedent to. Saudi normalizing. But now you'd begin to have a GCC. that all work together. It would be epic. It would be, and I think it'd be. good for the world. For sure, it would be good for the. world because Europe is. dying, unfortunately. And so the United States needs.

allies abroad. And those are all potential allies. Well, they are allies already. I couldn't agree with you more. I and remember Tucker one. more thing as a as a. condition in that region. You have young. Leadership you. have young leadership in MBS. You have relatively young leadership. in the UAE You. have relatively young leadership new. leadership in Qatar people. who don't have the old sensibilities. people who Want.

to have want to do business who. realizes like Trump's way? is people vote their pocketbook, right? So he wants to bring the. bacon home to the United States. I think everybody's bought into that. over in the GCC. I agree. I mean, we're reverting to like. human nature. People want stability. and prosperity for sure. Correct. But looming over all of. these countries and their remarkable. success, both economically and. socially, they're just like great. countries, in my opinion. Is this, is, you know,

is the conflict in Gaza and not just. Gaza, but the idea that, wow, this. could all blow up tomorrow because. we don't know what the Israeli. plan is. And even people who should know. don't seem to know. Do you think at some point they will. articulate like, here's our plan? I think so. First of all, I think that the. president, President Trump's. approach to Gaza has. engendered a lot of. lively discussion about. different ways to deal with Gaza.

We're now seeing an Egyptian plan. We're seeing the Saudis put together. a white paper. So I think what we're going to. do with Gaza is going to become much. more apparent over the next six. to 12 months. But Gaza is a flash point and we've. got to figure that out. And I agree with the president when. he said, the old plans don't. work. The old plans, the last. 40, 50 years of. policy prescription in Gaza.

Rebuild more war more. rebuilding. It's just that's. not something that made any that. made any sense It was why the. president began to say maybe we. need to think about it in a. different way Now we got criticized. for it because that's what happens. when you begin to go. up against You know the old. way of thinking and you you want to. sort of introduce a new way of. thinking. Well, a new way of thinking is. definitely needed. I think everybody. realizes that. So we're not positive that. cryptocurrency is the future of. finance, but we do know that what we. have now is broken and dangerous.

Debt has never been higher in this. country. Many of our so-called. leaders are getting rich, serving. you. It's a scam. So where does it go? Well, thankfully there are options. Donald Trump has said repeatedly he. wants the United States to be the. crypto capital of the world. He's already created the Crypto. Advisory Council and recently signed. an executive order. to establish a Bitcoin strategic. reserve. This could give normal people an. alternative to the government's. failing system, and frankly, to the. US dollar. I'm not saying put all your money. outside the US dollar, but like,

don't be crazy, don't be stupid. here. You can see where it's going. So the people that I trust capital. can help you get in to. this. It's complicated for people who. aren't following it. They make it. easy. They're based 100% in. the United States of America. We looked into this. They service only American investors. and they operate the only platform. that allows you to buy and sell. crypto 24 seven, both inside. and outside of your tax advantage to. IRA. And it all happens on one easy to. use dashboard. They also operate a closed loop. system, meaning that bad actors.

can't access your account and steal. your money. So if you're considering adding. Bitcoin if you want to or some other. cryptocurrency portfolio, I trust can be trusted and. it's easy to understand. ITrustCapitol.com or click the link. below. One question, I don't know if it's. answerable, I've just noticed it. I was talking to some. Israeli government people yesterday. And so here you have, October. 7th, obviously traumatic. to Israel,

but you get the destruction of. leadership of Hamas, you expelled, you broke Hezbollah, Nasrallah's. dead. No one ever, I was there for. the 2006 war. No one ever thought that was gonna. happen. I didn't anyway. That happened. and Bashar al-Assad's gone from. Syria and there's a more kind of. pro-Israel, a Jalani. leader in Syria. So that seems, like from an Israeli. perspective, those seem like massive. wins that nobody thought were. possible. And yet I detect in. the people I know in Israel a.

feeling like they feel more under. threat almost. Do you feel that? Well, I think, you know, I go to. Israel quite often. Yeah. And I think there's a feeling of, with some, when does. the violence end? At what point have we had enough of. it? And I think that's the issue. And, you know, maybe the Israeli. government needs to do. Look, I understand where they're. coming from. Their central premise.

or thesis is that Hamas. cannot be allowed to. live on and. I think we're talking. about now demilitarizing. That's the big thing. I don't think anyone has. a feeling that you can just. sort of kill off. a Hamas. It's an idea, right? That's what Hamas is about. It's an ideological. They can't be allowed to ever. again foment alongside.

of the Muslim Brotherhood, alongside of Islamic Jihad. These are all groups that are. operating in Gaza today. We just can't have an October 7th. ever again. Now October 7th. was like 9-11. What 9-11 was in the United States, October 7th was the Israelis'. version of. But what's interesting is it. happened at exactly the. moment that it felt like things were. on track to get better. I mean, Abraham Accords had been. signed, Saudi didn't sign. But there was some thought that they. might, I think. I mean, it was. And so, like, the trajectory was.

like that. And all of a sudden, it just went. in the opposite direction. And so then the question becomes, well, like, how do you. ensure, how do you build a framework. where there's like enduring peace. and everyone can just go on with. living their lives and building. their businesses and all that. Well, we're going to need a very. good plan on Gaza. It's going to begin with that. We're going to need stability. on Gaza. Stability on Gaza could mean some. people come back. It could mean some people don't come.

back. But I believe we. have to get to a place where people. can live a better life in Gaza, and we have to have a plan for that. That involves housing. But it also involves these. people's aspirations. What is going to happen for their. children? Are there children like. our children? You want better for your kids, I. want better for my kids. I want them to have, to. go and get an education, to. be self-sufficient. I don't think Gazan people. have ever really feel that.

way about, we have, feel that way. No. They don't have that opportunity. for their families. We have to give them that. opportunity or find pathways. for them to pursue those. opportunities. That's what President Trump was. talking about when he talked about a. new way of thinking about Gaza. So, and we're going to, we're. going to attempt to, um, You know, to ascertain different. development plans for Gaza could. involve the word to state, could not involve the word to state. What about that? You don't hear that. anymore. I mean, for my whole life,

the stated aspiration was. a Palestinian state, like an actual state, and then the. debate was over what it would look. like and who controls the utilities. and airports and all that stuff, but. lots of details to hammer out. But man, I haven't in the past five. or six, 10 years heard. anybody in authority. even mention it. Because when you use those words, it's like a flash point. So I use the word, I can. be attacked for it. To me, it's just a word.

What two-state to me means is, how do we have a better. living prescription for. Palestinians who are living in Gaza? Let's get to that place. But it's not just about housing. Maybe it's about AI coming there. Maybe it's about hyperscale data. centers being seeded into. that area. because we need to have that. And these people can now take. advantage and we can create jobs for. them there. Maybe it's about blockchain and. robotics coming there.

Maybe it's about pharmaceutical. manufacturing coming there. We need, we. can't rebuild Gaza and. it be based on a welfare system. We have to give people prospects, economic and financial prospects. That's exactly right. treat them like human beings adults. where they have nothing. Interesting. Um, so you think by. saying two state, I mean, that's a controversial thing. to say now. Um, but obviously you don't care.

Um, so do you think the ceasefire. that you on. the president's behalf got the. ceasefire? I mean, that was my read. Anyway, you went to. Israel and said the president wants. us and you got it. Um, but then it ended. What are the prospects now? What do you think happens next? Well, let me say this, we got it. because they didn't want to. defy him. He's a bad guy to defy. The Israelis. No, President Trump. No, but the Israelis did not want to. defy Trump. But not just the Israelis, it was.

the Israelis, it was Hamas, it was Qatar wanting, you know, everybody had. to know that we needed to. pull in the same, right, to pull in. the same way. And we got, there was a lot of. miscommunication in that deal, lots. We cleaned up the miscommunication, that was the game plan. And, but it was the president's, his sort of overarching personality. and letting everybody. know that.

that success was. not an option, it had to be. It was a mandate. And that's how we got to that place. I mean, it would take me a 10-hour. interview to explain to you the ins. and outs of how we actually got. there. I can't even imagine. But the story was that you just kind. of rolled in and said, here's what we're doing. This is what the president wants. Well, that's what he would do. So that's what I did because. that's what he would do. He would roll in and say, this is. unacceptable. This is what we need. to have happen.

And that's effectively what I did. By the way, why reinvent the wheel? Why not copy the master? He's the master. So why not copy the strategy? It's worked. When I saw you do that. on his behalf, my first thought was, why didn't the Biden people do this? I mean, they lost for a lot. of reasons, but one of the reasons. they lost was the ongoing. Gaza conflict, and. that alienated a ton of their. voters. I mean, that was a crisis. for them. Muslims in Southeast Michigan. voted for Trump in part because of.

that, and like a. lot of them did. Never thought I'd live to see that. and orthodox shoes voted for him. too, which was like amazing. So why didn't, and they knew it was. hurting them, why didn't. they do that? because Joe Biden is not Donald. Trump. It's as simple as that. So you think about it when. his policymakers walked into. the Oval Office, were they going. to get that. sort of direct mandate from. him? And I was not there,

so this is just a thesis. My bet is not. I walk into the Oval Office, Tucker, it's purposeful. That's what it feels like. We're there to. get solutions. to agree on solutions, and then to decide on how. tactically we're going to get to. that place. That's what we do. We sit in the Oval Office. I could be sitting there with Susie. Wiles, John Radcliffe, Mike Walz,

the Secretary. of State Marco Rubio, I mean, exceptional human beings, Tulsi Gabbard, and. yeah, we have some fun together. because it's a very tight-knit team. He's got He's got a great team this. year, you know, that he's put into. place this year, and hopefully. they'll all be there for the entire. term. But we're. there to be solution-based, and it's a collaborative. conversation with the president. leading the conversation. He's interested in a lot of. different opinions, which I think.

underscores. what a great leader he is. He's not stuck on a view. He's prepared to consider different. things. I think that makes him a great. leader. I think people have that. misconception about him that, you. know, he wakes up in the morning and. you know, this is the way it's going. to be. No, he listens. He's intent on understanding. different viewpoints. That's for sure. He's prepared to be. flexible in his thinking. I think that's what comes from a. lifetime of experience. And I think it's a great example to.

all of us who work for him because. we go out with that. way of thinking too, for the most. part. Do you think there's a. hope for a cessation of. violence in Gaza like soon? I mean, I'm not at liberty at this. moment to talk about... I bet you're not! But I think there have. been signs. I think. The Israelis going in. is in some respects unfortunate.

and in some respects. falls into the had-to-be. Bucket it it kind. of had to be Hamas. was not responding. They were not and. what then their responses were. unreasonable. And look, I. warned everybody at the Arab. summit. We presented a proposal at. the Arab summit 10 days ago. or two weeks ago that was. reasonable, that was a bridge.

to get to a peace deal, a bridge. to get to demilitarization. of Hamas and a discussion. about an enduring truce. That's what I was presenting 10 days. ago. and Hamas. their reaction was. completely inappropriate. That's inappropriate is probably a. light word, but I warned everybody that. this was going to result.

in some sort of military action. Not because I know, I did not know. before the Israelis went in. I just sensed that that was going to. be the only alternative based on. Hamas's reaction. Now that may not, we. may be able to reverse things, or we. may use this. we may be able to use this to get. Hamas to be a whole lot more. reasonable, because they have a lot. of sway there. And they impose that sway at. the point of a gun, which is why we. have to demilitarize them. We need real elections in. Gaza. There has to be a whole new.

way of thinking. We need a real. security force there to ensure. to Israel that they're not gonna. have a problem with them long-term. If Israel thinks they're gonna have. a problem in Gaza, because Hamas is. gonna be there long-term, this is. never gonna end. So the only way to deal. with this conflict is to make sure. that we satisfy everybody, that we're never going. to have an October 7th ever again. There is huge concern, as. I know you know, from. a lot of the neighboring countries.

that the conflict in Gaza, which is, of course, streamed into. everyone's iPhone, a. lot of people have been killed in. Gaza, a lot of kids, and. that's inflaming the populations. of some of these countries, again, specifically Egypt and Jordan, to. such a point that those governments. could fall and cause. massive chaos, including. in Europe. Is that a factor as. that that worry is that a factor? Huge factor. It's a huge factor. I think King Abdullah in.

Jordan has done an amazing. job, amazing job of. figuring out how to. deal with that instability. But, you know, in some respects, he's been lucky. I think Egypt is a flash point. All the good that happened. in the election because. of Nasrallah and Sinwar being. eliminated. That could all be reversed if. we lose Egypt.

What happened in Syria was a. huge data point for the region. I mean, getting him out, Assad, was a big deal. And no one ever expected it. But Egypt has. a very restive, I want to say the stats in. Egypt are huge. unemployment among under 25%, like 45% unemployment. Yeah, a country can't exist like. that. They're largely broke. They need a lot of help.

If we have a bad event. in Egypt, it could take. us back. And Saudi Arabia also, large, you know, I mean, he's an. amazing leader, MBS, but people are worried about his. young population and how they're. looking at this whole thing, which. is why we've got to solve Gaza, because if we solve Gaza, which. is the condition precedent. to Saudi normalizing, then Saudi can normalize. And if they normalize,

we're building on the framework. of the Abraham Peace Accords, which, of course, is the. president's creation. He wants the Abraham Peace Accords. to be augmented, and. we're in the process of doing it. We think we're gonna be announcing. several new countries who are. joining. So- would. It feels like, I don't know, I'm. not there, but it feels like there's. some significant unrest. in Turkey. Yeah. And this being driven by this, being.

driven by what's happening in Syria, which of course Turkey participated. in, that Erdogan is seen by some in his. country as a tool of Israel or. what, I mean, if you had like real problems in. Turkey, that would be like a. global disaster, of course, because. they've got this massive military. Is there a lot of concern about. that? Well, I think there was, but I think. the president had a great. conversation with. Erdogan a couple of days ago. Really transformational, I would. describe it. I mean, I think it's.

gone, I think it's been. under-reported, to tell you the. truth. And I think it's. under-reported because of the. hoodies, because of. what happened with Israel, and. because of what's going on with. Russia, Ukraine. It's not really, you know, a headline, but I think. Tom Barak who's the ambassador there. has done an will do an exceptional. job. I think the president has a. relationship with Erdogan, and. that's going to be important. And I think that there's. some good coming. There's just a lot of good positive.

news coming out of Turkey right now. as a result of that conversation. So I think you'll see that in the. reporting in the coming days. So if you don't mind, I'd love to, so here's the timeline as I. understand it as an observer. So you go over, you deliver the president's. message. There is a ceasefire in. Gaza, which as you've said five. times is a prerequisite to a lot of. other things. Like it's hard to do anything with. this open wound. So you do that and the president. says, wow, Steve Wyckoff,

my friend from the real estate. business, like you're really good. at this, sends you. to Russia. Is that fair? It's not so far from the truth. Right, so it's like, I'm watching. this because I knew you before and. I was like, this is the most amazing. thing I've ever seen. I'm cheering you by the way. Where are we there? that conflict, would you say? I think we've made more. progress. Again, by the way, look, Tucker,

I'm not just saying it. Every solution comes as. a result of President Trump. And I don't get paid to say that. I say it because it is the absolute. truth. Putin's got a huge respect for the. president. And you saw what happened in the. Oval Office with Zelensky and the. president, right? I mean this. Disrespecting him is. not a. healthy way to have a. good relationship. Arrogance of small countries.

That's like get some perspective. I mean, come on. How can you imagine? and they're dependent on us. Oh, I know. And we've been so good to them. I know. And I think that's, but look, that's. been corrected and that's a really. good thing. It got corrected and. hopefully we'll chalk it up to a. misunderstanding and. we'll get to a peace solution here, but I believe that. we have made more progress in. Russia, in this. Russian-Ukraine conflict. In the last eight weeks than anyone.

thought we would ever. I hear people describe this. last conversation that the president. had with President. Putin as, you know, unsuccessful. It's preposterous, by. the way. We talked throughout a. two-hour conversation about an. ultimate ceasefire, and there are. conditions that the Russians will. need for an ultimate ceasefire, because an ultimate ceasefire. is complicated. A, there's Kursk, where. Ukrainian troops are surrounded.

and the Russians. within Russia. Kursk is within Russia, the Russians. have taken it back. And they've got people trapped there. and the president doesn't wanna see. everybody getting killed. That's a significant battlefield. condition that has to be dealt with. But on top of that- Is that. acknowledged? I don't know if the New York Times. that story right now. I think it gets lost. a little bit. First of all, I think. a lot of these newspaper stories. are, they're agenda driven.

Yes. People start out saying, I support the Ukrainians, so I'm. going to write the article in a. certain way. Look, we want to, I want to see Ukraine come out. of this, okay? I want to see Russia. come out of it, okay? Again, outcome oriented. in this circumstance means. that We need a deal that. the Ukrainian people can live with. We have to sell it. There's going to be various Senate. approvals that we. may need here. And that's the political system. we're in, that we're gonna want.

everybody to be in. some respect satisfied. So we're gonna want the Russians to. be satisfied in some respect. We're gonna want the Ukrainians to. be satisfied in some respect. We're talking to the Europeans. When I say satisfied, feeling that. we came out of this thing, okay, with a deal that everybody can live. with. I think that. We have moved Russia in. ways that no one thought was. possible. So in the last conversation, they agreed to an energy. infrastructure ceasefire, which means Russia is not.

going to target Ukraine's. energy infrastructure, and Ukraine. will not target Russia's energy. infrastructure. They've never talked about that. before. Here we are talking about. that. They've never talked about. reinstituting the Black Sea. moratorium on maritime. hits. Ukraine firing on Russian ships, Russia firing on Ukrainian ships. Now, we're down to, and that's going to be implemented.

over the next week or so. There's some details that need to be. discussed, but that. became a part of that conversation. That's big stuff, really. big stuff. What's the ultimate goal? The ultimate goal is a 30-day. ceasefire during which time. we discuss a permanent ceasefire. We're not far away from that, but a. 30-day ceasefire is something. where we have to figure out. what all the battlefield conditions. are, which is why I began with. Kursk. But Kursk is just the beginning of.

it, because there's this 2,000. kilometer, that's 1,200 miles, this 2,000 kilometer border. between Ukraine and Russia, where the Russian and Ukrainian. troops are involved in, I. don't know, 50, 60, 70, maybe 80. firefights fights throughout this. this border with all kinds of. different conditions. Putin asked me in the meeting, what. should I do in a particular area. where we have people surrounded. and they don't want to give up.

Do I kill them? How do I get them to give up? I'm happy not to kill everybody. I'm happy to. get people to wave the white. flag if I can get them to. wave the white flag. And that one situation, Steve, this is him talking, Putin talking. to me, is just one. example of 70, 80, 90 different situations. out there along this border. each one having different. battlefield conditions. Each one. needing a separate conversation.

That's what has to happen for a. ceasefire. And yet, we're talking about it. That's a big, big deal. Our technical teams are going to be. meeting in Jeddah beginning. Monday. That's a big deal. There's all kinds of good positive. talk coming out of Russia about. their willingness to consider all. of these different things. And Zelensky had a wonderful. conversation with the president. After the. President Putin's conversation the. next day, and I think.

that indicates that they've got. some degree of flexibility in the. way that they've been thinking about. finishing up this conflict. So I am not. to sound like a forever. optimist, but I am very, very. optimistic that we're going to be. able to bring the two sides. together. We have narrowed the. issues so considerably, so I'm optimistic. Time for another True Life Alp. story. I got a call from a friend of. mine yesterday, honestly, true. story, who said his girlfriend had. just broken up with him over Alp.

He wouldn't stop. And I thought to myself, that's kind. of sad. And he said, no, it's not. sad. Imagine if I'd married her. Now I know, I was saved. Then the next day, this same friend. is driving at twice the speed limit. through a major American city, pulled over by a cop in a speed. trap. Cop takes his license. registration, goes back to the. patrol car, runs him, comes back, looks in the window and sees a tin. of Alp on the dashboard. Pauses. Stunned, says to my friend, you use. Alp? Yeah, I do, says my friend. So do I, says the cop. We all do.

He looks at my friend thoughtfully. and goes, drive safely, sir, and. hands back his license and. registration. No ticket. So in two days, he's saved from a. tragic marriage to a girl who. doesn't like Alp and a speeding. ticket. All true. It's more than a name. In a nation of 350 million, people. are guessing there are about 350. million Alp stories. Email us yours. We want to know and read it on the. air. Email tellall at. alppouch.com. Tellall at alppouch.com.

Give us your Alp story. So Russia, Putin, who's been in. power 25 years, has been consistent. for the whole duration of his. presidency in one. demand, which is that NATO stop. encroaching on its borders, and. specifically that Ukraine, which is the largest country with. the borders, Russia not. be in NATO. And that is my understanding, my certainty is that that still. remains the central demand, period. No Ukraine and NATO can't.

have peace without that, in the same way that Israel. doesn't want Hamas in its border. They don't want that. Can the U.S. deliver that? First of all, I think the largest. issue in that conflict are. these so-called four. regions, Donbass, Crimea. You know, the names, Lugansk, and there's two others.

They're Russian-speaking, there. have been referendums where the. overwhelming majority of the people. have indicated that they want to be. under Russian rule. I think that's the key. issue in the conflict. So that's the first thing. When that gets settled, and we're having very, very. positive conversations. And Russia controls that. In fact, some of those territories. are now, from the Russian. perspective, part of Russia. That's correct, but this has always. been the issue. And it's sort of no one wants to. talk about it.

That's the elephant in the room. The elephant in the room is, there are constitutional issues. within Ukraine as. to what they can. concede to with regard to giving up. territory. The Russians are de facto in. control of these territories. Yes. The question is, will the world acknowledge that. those are Russian territories? Will it end up? Can Zelensky survive politically. if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue.

in the conflict. Absolutely that. On NATO, I think. that Zelensky, and he's got a right-hand guy, Yermak, I think that they've largely. conceded that they are. not going to be a member of NATO. There's been all kinds of talk about. whether they could still have, quote. unquote, what is called Article. V protection, Right. Which gives- every. NATO country has this. Article 5 protection, whether. Ukraine could have that in.

some respect from the United States. or European nations without. being a member of NATO. And I think that's open for. discussion. But I think it's accepted. that Ukraine, and Russia, if there's going to be a. peace deal, Ukraine cannot be. a member of NATO. I think that's largely accepted. So you spent sort. of an amazing story that got. downplayed in the media, but you go. to Moscow and then you wind. up meeting directly. with Putin for.

a long time. Long time. Which is kind of remarkable, I think, considering you're the. president's envoy, but you're not. I'm not the president. You're not the president, exactly. right. So the Russians are very formal, as. you know. In every regard, they're very. formal. And so you can imagine. a scenario where it's like, well, it's not the president, so our. president's not gonna meet with him, but he did meet with you. for a long time. What did you think of him? I liked him. I thought he was straight up with. me. Of course, by the way, I've said.

that. And you can imagine, by the way, I say that I get. pilloried. Oh my gosh, you're. actually saying that you like him. Every American president, until. Biden, has said that. Every single one. Bill Clinton said that, George W. Bush said that, Barack Obama said. that, every president around the. world I've ever spoken to is like, they may disagree with what Russia's. doing, whatever, but they're like, you know, Putin's a straightforward guy. First of all, I thought it was. gracious of him to. accept me. Yeah. To see me. Why would I interpret it any.

other way? But that was gracious. Now, I'm an emissary of the. president. And the president had a great. relationship with Vladimir Putin in. his first term. So I think Vladimir Putin. knew that it was going to be hard. for the president at this time to. come over to Russia. I think they're going to meet in. the coming months. But I think it was enormously. gracious for him to accept me, and I. need to acknowledge that. This is safe. I know, but by the way, that's the. same way that I said that that.

Sheik Mohammed is a good guy. and and you know because that he. is a good guy Yeah I mean. if you don't you know in our country. if you don't act like a lemming and. just walk off the cliff like. everybody else Then you. know you get attacked. It's by the way. How would we settle a conflict. with a guy with with someone. who is the head of a. major nuclear power? unless we establish trust and, and, and good feelings with one.

another. I don't know how you would. do such a thing. And, and, uh, president Putin said. to me in the first meeting I had, he said, Steve, do you know that. I didn't talk to Joe Biden for. three and a half years? It's craziness. How would you resolve that? Tucker, can you imagine me and you. having a conflict? I don't know what it was with you. live in this house. I live in that house. Okay. I think you've encroached on. my land and we never have a. conversation about it. I mean who-. That's why I went over there last. year, because I thought we're moving toward. a nuclear war.

And I just feel like if no. one's talking to Putin, like someone should at least. broadcast his views to the world. because we could have a war. otherwise. That was my thinking. anyway. When I came back, before. the first meeting with President. Putin, when President Trump said. to me, go over and have that. conversation, I think we're going to. have a good, healthy conversation. Before that conversation, there was. no talk about a Black Sea. moratorium. There was no conversation about. an energy infrastructure moratorium.

on hits between the two countries. We were not talking about prisoner. exchanges and all kinds of other. stuff. After one meeting, and I am saying. to you, not because of me. because this was President Trump. sending a signal to President Putin. that he wanted to resume his. relationship together and that they. were going to be two great. leaders figuring out this conflict. That was the message. That was me coming there. That was my message to President. Putin.

I was directed by. President Trump to deliver that. message, that we were here to. begin a real discussion, a productive discussion, about. how to end this conflict. And President Putin, to his credit, sent all kinds of signals back to. the president that this is. the path that he wanted to be on, including statements that he made. In the second visit that I had, it got personal. The president, President Putin. had commissioned a beautiful.

portrait of President Trump. from the leading Russian artist. and actually gave it to me and asked. me to take it home to President. Trump. which I brought home and delivered. to him. It's been reported in the. paper, but it was such a gracious. moment and. told me a story, Tucker, about how when the president was. shot, he went to his. local church and. met with his priest and prayed for. the president, not because he. was the president of the United, he. could become the president of the.

United States, but because he had a. friendship with him and he was. praying for his friend. It was, I mean, can you imagine. sitting there and listening to these. kinds of conversations? and I came. home. and delivered that message to. our president and delivered the. painting, and. he was clearly touched. by it. So this is the kind. of connection that we've been able. to reestablish through, by. the way, a simple word called. communication, which many people would. say, you know, I.

shouldn't have had because Putin is. a bad guy. I don't regard. Putin as a bad guy. That is a complicated situation, that war. and all the ingredients. that led up to it. You know, it's never just one. person, right? So we're gonna, I think we're gonna. figure it out. It's like a marriage. I mean, you know, you can blame the. other person all you want, but. you're implicated in it too. So that's just a fact. That's just It's human nature. So it does raise the question. everything you've said. I don't think any fair person.

Everything you've just said about. Russia Ukraine. Any fair person with knowledge? Yeah, that's true. but Why there has to. be some reason that none of this has. been acknowledged for three and a. half years Like why the effort. to prevent? Americans from hearing the other. side, from understanding the. conflict in its totality, not just. parts of it, but the whole thing, like why, why. the censorship designed to keep. us from knowing what's actually. happening? because that's what we've been. enduring. Oh, I know. Censorship. Yes.

We've been enduring a. media that, you know, they all march together. I mean, I told you this story. I give interviews about President. Trump and I, guess what? All the nice things I have to say. about him, because I believe in. that, that sort of gets excised. out of my interviews. Not with you, I know, but because. you're a fan too. I'm a great fan of his, you know, so. you hear it. but guess what? Trump derangement syndrome still. exists out there today.

I don't, you know, he said it at the. State of the Union. If I came here, and he was. looking at the Democrats, if I came. here, I had the cure for cancer, and I had a magic pill that would. cure all conflicts all over the. world, nobody would cheer for me on. your side. It really is true, by the. way. Look, look at how. all the different things he's. involved in now. I mean, we are out there curing. and solving conflicts all. over the world. It's unbelievable, and no one's ever. seen this sort of progress before.

And the Russians want to engage with. us once again because we have a real. decision maker. Iran is now responding to. the letter. Hopefully we can solve. that. Gaza, Turkey, we've. got real leadership. And the world needed leadership and. we were bereft of that. leadership. We didn't have it. And the Trump administration is, is moving forward. with a strong leadership. It's a big deal. Do you think,

Zelensky, the question of Zelensky, I think there are good things to say. about Zelensky. I think he's got a kind of bravery, which I admire. I think the Ukrainian military is. legit brave, doomed, because they're just fighting a much. bigger country. You know, it's not gonna win. But I think they've behaved with. valiance. The Russian position is he's not. elected and so we can't. sign any kind of treaty with him. Um, do you think there will be.

elections? in Ukraine. Yes. You do? There will be. Yeah. They've agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine. And I agree with you. I think Zelensky is. trying his best. I think he's in a very, very difficult position, but he's. up against a nuclear nation. And he's also up against a. nation that has four times the. population that he has. And so he's got to know that. he's going to get ground down. Now was the best time for him to get.

a deal done. President Trump can deliver him the. best possible deal he's ever going. to get. Who's giving him like the, I. mean, you know, I blame Zelensky, the man for his behavior in. Washington a few weeks ago, but. I also blame whoever briefed him. before he went into the Oval with. the president and vice president, whoever told him to act that way and. it's clear people did, whether it. was Samantha Power or whoever it. was. Those people, I mean, that was criminally bad advice. Do you think he's speaking. to realistic, clear-eyed people.

who can... You know, who have the welfare of. Ukraine in mind? So without getting into names, I've talked to multiple European. leaders and I've said to. them, the more you. encourage him. not to be proactive at. the peace table, the more you. suggest that aid. will continue without. any conditions attached to it. No one says that we shouldn't aid. Ukraine today.

or in the reconstruction. later on, But... It's gotta come with. certain conditions. If we're gonna give a lot of money. to Ukraine, we wanna hear the. business plan of how this is going. to get resolved because it's an. unsustainable business. plan if they don't have a plan. for how it gets resolved. We just can't forever give money. because they'll get ground down. And ultimately, and this is, we've discussed this in the.

administration, and ultimately, What you can have here is risk of. any kind of nuclear action, even the. tactical nuclear action. I mean, even if it's not a. big bomb explosion, just a tactical nuke would take. stock markets down all over the. world. Well, they haven't been used in 80. years, they've been used exactly. twice in human history. You can't allow it to happen. It's not a precedent you want, at. all. And while I think we have to. get a fair deal for Ukraine, we cannot allow that country. to drag us into World War III.

And that's not what I'm, that's not. my policy, that's President Trump's. policy. If I can just say, what the hell is. going on with the European League? Keir Starmer saying we're going to. send British troops? Their entire military is smaller. than the U.S. Marine Corps. The country is dying economically. All those countries are dying. economically. What are they thinking? What is that? Is it a posture, is it a pose? Well, I think it's a. combination of a posture and a pose. and a combination of also. being simplistic. I think there's this.

sort of notion of, we've all. got to be like Winston Churchill. The Russians are going to march. across Europe. I think that's preposterous, by the. way. We have something called NATO. that we did not have in. World War II. Do you think the. Russians want to march across. Europe? 100% not. I think. I think. Right? I feel like why would they. want that? I wouldn't want those. countries, like why would they? First of all, why would they want to. absorb Ukraine? For what purpose? Exactly. They don't need to absorb. Ukraine. That would be like. occupying Gaza. Why do the Israelis really want to.

occupy Gaza for the rest of their. lives? They don't. They want. stability there. They don't want to deal with that. But the Russians also have what they. want. They've gotten, they've reclaimed. these five regions. They have Crimea, and they've. gotten what they want. So why do. they need more? Putin is a very smart guy. You know, someone said to me. that um... I was talking to someone in the. administration, and they said, well, you gotta watch it, because he's an. ex-KGB guy. So I said, okay, what's. the inference?

Well, he's an ex-KGB guy, he could. be looking to manipulate you. Says the ex-CIA guy to you. This was not an ex-CIA guy, but effectively, and I said, look, here's how I see it. In the old days, the only people who. went into the KGB were the smartest. people in the nation. That's who went into the KGB. He's a super smart guy, okay? You don't want to give him the. credit for it. That's okay. I give him the credit for it. H. Two for six! stuff like that.

But he is. I know, I'm very aware. So should we ignore it? I mean, and this is what I talk. about with level-setting the facts, like are we now, like Trump was. elected, we're now allowed to speak. freely. We were not, you know, we were muzzled, Tucker. No one was allowed to say what they. really wanted to say. I'm very aware. I mean, we just came out of a world. where a judge who was not even. an elected judge could tell a man. that he was gonna spend 10 years in. prison, you know, and he had 80. million votes in this country.

Guess what? That's gone, okay? So, you know, listen, we can breathe. again. Yes, that's amazing. So there is, okay, so there's. the negotiation that's going on. between Eastern Europe, between. Russia and Ukraine, which. you're obviously the center of, but there's also an informal. negotiation going on back in. Washington where you. have a lot of people with. economic interests in. this war. I mean, let's just be. honest.

Certainly ideological interests and. all of Washington has been mobilized. to fight Russia We are at war with. Russia through our proxy Ukraine and. the president Trump shows up. It's like, uh, You know applies the. brakes like it stands on the brakes. But is that going to get resolved? I think so you do I think so. Yeah, I think it's one thing to deal. with the russians but to deal with. the permanent bureaucracy. That's really tough. who doesn't want to have a world. where Russia and the United. States are doing collaboratively.

good things together? Exactly. Thinking about how. to integrate their energy policies. in the Arctic. Exactly. Share sea lanes. Maybe send LNG gas. into Europe together. Maybe collaborate on AI. together if we can get past. technology migration. Who doesn't want to see a world like. that? What about... the president's being able to talk. to one another about Iran, where Russia has some degree of.

influence. I mean, who doesn't want. to see a world like that? To me, it's so logical. I passionately want to see a world. like that. Not for any weird agenda other than. that sounds great. Like why wouldn't you want that. exactly, but nobody wants that in. Washington? Well, I think this is the thing. people get wedded, you know, to a prescription because they've. that's that was what they endorsed. before. And it's hard for them to. back off of it. Yes, it is now. But you seem confident that. the entire permanent establishment. in DC, and they're not all stupid,

by the way, some of them are very. smart and highly motivated, that. they can be brought around. Well, look at the progress that. we've made in Russia. We've made tremendous progress. It's nothing short of enormous. How in the world is that Putin. looking to manipulate. people like me or other people who. may be negotiating with him? That's Putin actually. reaching across the. table and saying to President Trump, I'm prepared to do these things. And now the president is accepting. that. And he's saying, let me tell.

you what I'm prepared to do. And he's prepared to bring Zelensky. into the conversation. and he talks to Macron, and he talks. to Stammer, and he talks to. the Norwegians and the Finnish. I think none of these people have. been talking together before. Can you imagine a war that's been. going on for three and a half years, no one was talking? This is what went on. It's insanity. I know. And by the way, it was inexorably. marching toward nuclear conflict. Had to be. Had to be. That's exactly right. Or the Russians would have just.

ground them down conventionally. Either way is a bad outcome for. Ukraine. That makes no sense either. The Russians outstripped them. four to one in population. They either would have ground them. down over time or, God forbid, you could have had some. kind of tactical nuclear issue. Yes. Which would have been a disaster for. the world because, as you say, we. haven't had one for 80 years. It's so, I can't tell you, I'm not. sucking up, I mean this, I can't. tell you how refreshing it is to see.

someone hear someone tell the truth, obvious truths. And I do think it. makes a huge difference to say the. truth out loud. Well, I think it's important to. say the truth out loud. That's what we weren't. allowed to say. When I went to court with the. president, I went to his criminal. trial quite often. I would walk out of the criminal. trial, you would see all. the reporters from MSNBC, CNN, sort of like glaring. at me, Tucker, almost as. if to say, why would you come here?

I mean, can you just imagine? We were living in a society of. You're innocent until proven guilty, but the president had been convicted. already. That wasn't good enough for me. I spoke about the president, how. I felt about him, my friendship with. him, how I thought that trial was. unfair. I testified for him in. the AG trial. I led an amicus curie brief. Nobody was doing it in those days. Everybody was afraid.

I just think we need to. level set the facts and understand. what the true conditions are out. there. The true conditions in Russia. is that it's complicated and. Ukraine. It's a complicated. conflict. They've been at each. other since World War II. There's a sensibility in Russia that. Ukraine is a false country, that they just patch together in. this sort of mosaic, these regions, and that's the. root cause, in my opinion, of this war,

that Russia regards those five. regions as rightfully theirs. since World War II. That's something that nobody wants. to talk about. Well, I say it out. loud. How are we gonna solve this. thing unless we solve the. central issue that underpins the. conflict? that Khrushchev kind of just made. those part of Ukraine. Yeah. I think Khrushchev was Ukrainian. Amazing. I just have to ask you this, so. you were with. the then candidate Trump at the.

trials, then you were on the road. with him. I saw you. You're traveling with him everywhere. during the campaign and. you're a very old friend of his and. he also likes you. So at that point, you can kind of. have any job you. want, that's the way it works. but you didn't want any job. It would be arrogant for me to say. that I could have any job I want. Well, but okay, but you're well put. your better position than anyone. else. I'm aware of to get a. job at the administration But you. weren't there scrambling to get one.

Well, I wanted if I, you know, the president, there's a. lot of people who did good things. for him during the campaign, but. that doesn't necessarily mean that. doing those good things transfers. over to you being able to be a. part of an administration and. govern, so I never. wanted to presume that I. could have any job that I wanted. I think that would almost be. disrespectful to my friendship with. him. Yes, that's my outside assessment. No, no, no, listen, I know. you're a very good friend of the.

presidents, too, so you understand. You didn't seem anxious to be. secretary of whatever. I guess that's my point. No, I didn't want to do those jobs, actually. I wanted to do something. that felt worthy to. me, that felt like I was going. to help to either. save lives, solve a. crisis. I talked to Jared at great. length, you know, about what it was. like for him to work in the Mideast. I just began to feel that that. would be something very worthy for. me to do. Now, I underestimated the. complications in the job.

That's for sure. I think I was a little bit. quixotic in the way that I thought. about it. Like, I'm gonna roll in there on a. white horse and no, it was anything. but that, you know. But I'm so glad he gave me this. opportunity. I think I tell him, I think. he's sort of like, he gets. embarrassed when I tell him this, Tucker. I say to him all the time. blessed me when you gave me this. job. He did, I think he blessed me. I get to feel like my life has.

consequence now. I get to do things on. behalf of other people, something. bigger than just doing something on. behalf of myself. So it's really a big deal. Not many people get that chance over. 60. That's pretty unusual. I don't know if many people get that. chance at all. No, you're right. And I'm so lucky, you know. So before the end of my life to be. able to do this, I'm so grateful to. him. So one last question, area, which is Iran, which unfortunately I.

sidetracked around it, but you said. when I asked, what is. the government of Israel's plan for. the region? What are the borders it. hopes to solidify at some point? Like, what are the boundaries of the. country, et cetera, et cetera? You said your first response was, we need to solve for Iran. Like that's the issue that overhangs. everything. There's enormous pressure on. the US, on them. Trump administration from within and. from outside to have. a military conflict with Iran. I think I know that.

president seemed that's not his. first this is my read. if he if he. wanted that we'd already have it he. seems to want a diplomatic solution. first he wants to try that first yes. that's fair that's fair do. you think that that's. achievable. Look, he sent a letter to. the Iranians. Usually, it would be the Iranians.

sending a letter to him. Remember, the Iranians'. air defenses have been eviscerated. in that attack from Israel. open to attack today. They're a small country compared to. ours. We could, I think we would, if. we used overwhelming force, it would. be very, very bad for them. And so you wouldn't, and this is not. a threat, I'm not threatening. So if the Iranians ever listen. to this broadcast, this is not me. issuing a threat. It's the president who has that.

authority. He would issue. but you're. But you're describing the reality as. you understand it. So under those circumstances, it. would be natural for the Iranians. to reach out to the president to. say, I want to diplomatically solve. this. Instead, it's him doing that. Now, I can tell you that. he's not reaching out because he's. weak, because he is not a weak man. He is a strong man, maybe one. of the strongest men I've ever met. in my life. Maybe the strongest man I've ever. met in my life. Actually, I think he is that person.

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, even Trump haters would have to. acknowledge that's kind of. indisputable at this point. He's, he is a strong man and. I'm going to say this, the strongest. man I've ever met. So with that all said, he wrote. that letter and why did he write. that letter? For people who aren't aware, can you. roughly describe what it said? It roughly said, I'm a president of peace, that's what I want, there's. no reason for us to. do this militarily.

We should talk, we should clear up the. misconceptions, we should. create a verification. program so that. nobody worries about weaponization. of your nuclear material, and I'd like. to get to that place, because the. alternative is not a very good. alternative. That's a rough encapsulation of what. was said, roughly. And the president has said that. He's said that, so I'm not telling. you anything is top secret or. anything of that sort.

The Iranians have reached back out. And I'm not at liberty to talk about. the specifics, but clearly through. back channels, through multiple. countries and multiple conduits, they've reached back out. I think... that it has a real possibility. of being solved diplomatically, not. because I've talked to anybody in. Iran, but just because I think. logically it makes sense that it. ought to be solved diplomatically. It should be. I think the president has. acknowledged that Iran,

that he's open to an opportunity. to clean it all up with Iran. with a come back. the world and be a great nation. once again, and not have to be sanctioned. and being able. to grow their economy. Their economy, I mean, these are. very smart people. Their economy was. once a wonderful economy. They're being strangled and. suffocated today. There's no need for that to happen. They can join the League of Nations. and we can have a better.

relationship and grow that. relationship and that's what. he's presenting. That's the. alternative he's presenting. He wants to deal with Iran with. respect. He wants to build trust with them, if it's possible. And that's his directive to. his administration. And hopefully, that will be met. positively by the Iranians. I'm certainly hopeful for it. I think anything can be solved. with dialog by. clearing up misconception and.

miscommunication and disconnects. between people. I believe that, by. the way. And yet... And the president is a president who. doesn't want to go to war, and. he'll use military action. to stop a war. That's when he actually wants to use. military action. In this particular case, hopefully. it won't be necessary. Hopefully we can do it at. the negotiating table. I hope for our sake you wind up in. Tehran. I hope I do too, or someone else. from the administration.

This is a little bit more. complicated, this one, because it's. nuclear, and we're I'm gonna need. some real technical. It's just a little bit more. complicated. But I think it'll begin with, it'll begin with. the president, with. someone from the president's team. It could be me, it could be me and. other people. It could not be. me and somebody else. But I am going to welcome that. opportunity if I'm. involved. Amazing. Steve Witkoff, Godspeed.

Thanks for having me.