September 3, 2025, New York, NY – Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff has stepped into one of the toughest portfolios in U.S. foreign policy. Predictably, critics are circling. After the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, Foreign Policy magazine called him “the perfect embodiment of Trump’s low-information approach to international relations.” For the American Jewish Congress, the measure of his work is clear: advancing U.S. efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear program, strengthening Israel’s security, and defeating Hamas. On these fronts, he is clearly succeeding.
In recent months, Special Envoy Witkoff has secured the release of an American-Israeli hostage from Hamas, held three direct meetings with President Putin, pressed Iranian proxies to end attacks on U.S. ships, and forced Tehran back to the table on America’s terms. His message on Iran has been unequivocal: “The Iranians cannot have a bomb.” On Israel, he has been clear: “We can’t tell our ally Israel what to do.” He also brokered a rare two-month ceasefire pause between Israel and Hamas, offering relief to civilians and space for hostage families—until Hamas itself shut the door.
Critics dwell on his unorthodox style, but history favors those who break molds. Jack Rosen, chairman of American Jewish Congress, advanced U.S. and Israeli interests in the Gulf and South Asia without a formal title. Jared Kushner, dismissed at first, went on to help deliver the Abraham Accords. Witkoff operates in that tradition.
This is why we are speaking out. Our mission is clear: to support Israel in defeating Hamas, to press for an outcome that ends Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and to strengthen Israel’s security in a volatile region. Witkoff’s efforts connect directly to those goals. From checking Iran’s nuclear program to supporting Israel’s prosecution of the war against Hamas, his work deserves a fair look.
Outcomes matter more than résumés. Professional diplomats are vital, but unconventional actors can also deliver critical breakthroughs. Steve Witkoff deserves to be judged on results, not caricatures.
(Photo Credit: “DAZ_0119PS” by U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, CC BY 2.0)
