Negotiation, Trump style

I don’t know what is in President Donald Trump’s head. No one does — except him. And that is by design. Revealing his strategy would forfeit leverage, eliminate surprise and weaken negotiations before they even begin.

Strategic ambiguity is not confusion. It is strength.

I spent more than 20 years working on many of Trump’s largest business deals and three years serving as Middle East envoy in the White House. I am often asked what I believe he is thinking about Iran. My phone has been ringing off the hook since Wednesday’s meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Here is my assessment.

Many predicted he would strike quickly. I did not. Weeks ago, I wrote that he would first test whether diplomacy could work — real diplomacy, aimed at real results.

Trump wants an agreement that eliminates Iran’s nuclear threat — one that is verifiable, enforceable and immediate

Jason D. Greenblatt

Not another Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action-style agreement riddled with loopholes and excuses. Not another paper promise that looks good in headlines and collapses in practice. The last deal, among its many flaws, merely kicked the nuclear threat down the road and gave the Iranian regime space to cheat. And cheat they did.

Trump wants something different.

He wants an agreement that eliminates the nuclear threat — one that is verifiable, enforceable and immediate. One where enforcement does not depend on endless UN handwringing. One that addresses Iran’s growing missile capabilities and regional aggression.

This week, I attended the World Defense Show in Riyadh. The weaponry on display from around the world was breathtaking — and terrifying. More lethal. More precise. More sophisticated than ever.

It was a glimpse into the future of warfare.

And it should sober anyone who cares about what kind of world we are leaving to our children.

Trump understands this reality. He does not sugarcoat it. He does not hide behind pleasant speeches that mean nothing. He tells hard truths — even when they are uncomfortable.

He also understands that the first victims of the Iranian regime are the Iranian people themselves.

They live under crushing sanctions imposed because of their leaders’ warmongering, repression and extremism. They suffer for ambitions they did not choose. They have paid the highest price for a regime that values ideology over life.

At the same time, the threat to Israel and to America’s Arab allies remains real — and, if left unchecked, will only grow far more dangerous.

People often forget something fundamental about Trump.

He seeks peace and prosperity. That is what drives him. He is, at heart, a dealmaker. If anyone has a chance to resolve something this complex, it is him.

Why?

Because of his direct, unsentimental approach. Because leaders across the region — despite differing tactics — share a clear-eyed understanding of Iran’s threat. Because the Middle East is undergoing historic, positive change under pragmatic leadership. Because people across the region are exhausted by endless war. I heard this repeatedly during my visit this week.

And because Trump has rebuilt American strength and is unafraid to use it. He negotiates from power, not apology.

Let me be clear: I am deeply skeptical of Iran’s leadership. To my core.

I believe they seek to buy time, build capacity and survive long enough to pursue their long-term goals: destroying Israel and dominating the region. History gives us no reason to trust their intentions.

None.

But I have also seen Trump accomplish what others said was impossible. Over 23 years, I watched him close deals so-called experts dismissed as fantasy. He does not accept conventional limits. He does not surrender to pessimism.

Above all, he has a duty to protect America — America’s soldiers, American families, the American economy and America’s future. He also believes in the future of the Middle East. A much better future.

No one should fault him for exhausting every peaceful option before choosing the hard path.

Trying to prevent war does not make him weak. It does not make him naive. It does not make him indecisive.

It means he is doing his job.

War brings death, trauma, destruction and terrible consequences that last generations. If there is a responsible way to avoid it, a president must pursue it.

That does not mean Trump is being played.

He is no one’s fool. He recognizes deception. He senses bad faith. He does not tolerate theater. If negotiations become a charade, he will know. Quickly.

We owe it to ourselves, to those who wear the American uniform and to our allies in the Middle East to let this process unfold.

If he ultimately concludes that force is necessary — or that supporting Israel in war is unavoidable — he will do so knowing he explored every alternative.

He has also placed people he trusts at the table: Jared Kushner. Steve Witkoff. Marco Rubio.

Trying to prevent war does not make him weak. It does not make him naive. It does not make him indecisive

Jason D. Greenblatt

These are not career diplomats who hide behind vague language and endless process. They understand leverage. They know how to close. They know when to walk away. And they speak honestly to the president.

They understand the difficulty. They understand the odds. And they will give Trump reality — not fantasy.

So, for now, let us restrain our reflexes.

Let’s hold our breath and our tongues.

Let’s see what Trump can do.

Let’s see what Trump will do.

If a strong, enforceable agreement is possible, he and his team may be the ones to achieve it. If it is not, then the world will see what he decides next.

The Middle East is ready for a new era. People want stability. Opportunity. Normal lives. Endless conflict has delivered none of that.

Trump may be the leader capable of breaking old patterns.

We should give him the space to try.

One way or another.

• Jason D. Greenblatt was the White House Middle East envoy in the first Trump administration. He is the author of “In the Path of Abraham: How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East — and How to Stop Joe Biden From Unmaking It” and the founder of Abraham Venture LLC. X: @GreenblattJD