U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who encouraged and advised President Trump to initiate U.S. military strikes in Iran, asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his Senate testimony, “If the mediator is allowing reconnaissance aircraft of Iran to be parked in Pakistani airbases, do you think that’s consistent with being a fair mediator?”
Hegseth replied that he “wouldn’t want to get in the middle of these negotiations.”
But he was interrupted by Graham, who yelled, “Yeah, well, I do. I want to get in the middle of these negotiations. I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually do have Irani aircraft in Pakistan bases, to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate. No wonder this damn thing is going nowhere.”
Senator Lindsey Graham says he does not trust Pakistan as a mediator between the US and Iran:
“we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate. No wonder this damn thing is going nowhere.” pic.twitter.com/72OBQOFECR
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 12, 2026
Others frustrated by the stalled peace talks have criticized the American side as well, with critics like Republican Chris Christie lamenting that Trump sent “two real estate developers” to the negotiations in Pakistan — Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and the President’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, New York real estate billionaire Steven Witkoff — instead of regional experts and seasoned diplomats.
Christie said recently: “These problems with Iran have been going on for 47 years. We need skilled negotiators with depth of historical knowledge to get a deal that makes this military action one that actually protects America’s national security. The president sent two real estate developers. Why would any of us be surprised by the lack of results?”
[NOTE: Secretary of State Marco Rubio has not attended the negotiations.]