Commentary: Trump's "favoritism diplomacy" carries high costs for the U.S.

Effective diplomacy relies on credibility, consistency, and a clear focus on national interests. However, the personalized, opaque, and potentially corrupt "favoritism diplomacy" employed by the Trump administration failed to uphold these principles, ultimately harming the United States, according to a commentary in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

The article criticizes President Donald Trump for delegating crucial diplomatic functions to his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, rather than relying on the State Department and professional diplomats. This move, unusual in most democracies, reportedly faced little significant resistance and was often dismissed as mere "unorthodoxy," despite potentially severe long-term consequences.

Kushner, who previously advised Trump and brokered the Abraham Accords, and Witkoff, a business partner, were appointed as special envoys for peace. The commentary highlights their lack of prior diplomatic experience and significant conflicts of interest. For instance, Witkoff's son heads a cryptocurrency firm, World Liberty Financial, in which the Trump and Witkoff families hold a controlling stake. This firm signed investment and cross-border transaction agreements with Pakistan, a country also involved in U.S.-Iran talks.

The article posits that when individuals negotiate geopolitical outcomes and explore business opportunities simultaneously in the same location, diplomacy begins to resemble a marketplace. In this environment, access, influence, and profit become closely intertwined, leading to a situation where the moderating force of political norms diminishes as public outrage fades.