The following is a transcript of an interview with Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East for President Trump, aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on February 23, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Joining us now is President Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, who is in Miami Beach this morning. Good morning, sir.
SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST STEVE WITKOFF: Good morning, Margaret. Thank you for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There’s a lot to discuss. Let’s start with the situation in the Middle East. You’ve mentioned you are heading there this week to facilitate a hostage agreement. I understand Prime Minister Netanyahu has altered his negotiation team. Will we progress to phase two of this hostage deal, and can we expect the release of American citizen Edan Alexander soon?
STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, I believe we will reach phase two, and I am very focused on that outcome. I plan to travel there likely on Wednesday evening and will spend five days visiting several countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Israel, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Regarding Edan Alexander, he is a top priority for us. I am in constant communication with his parents. This is one of President Trump’s major objectives—ensuring all Americans return home. I am confident we will bring Edan back.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In that second phase, discussions about the future of Gaza will also be essential. Should Hamas leaders be required to leave Gaza as part of the negotiations? If so, where might they go?
STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, Margaret, the May 27 protocol agreement specifies that phase two negotiations focus on two main points: establishing a permanent ceasefire and ending all violence. Additionally, we cannot allow Hamas to regain any governmental power. This necessitates their departure from Gaza.
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Physically, you mean?
STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, that is correct. The negotiations will revolve around that issue.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Where would they go? Has any nation expressed interest in offering them asylum?
STEVE WITKOFF: The specifics of that are indeed complex, and while we’ve had several discussions, I can’t share those details at this moment. However, we have potential ideas that will be part of the negotiation process.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You have mentioned that your visit to Gaza revealed such devastation that you struggled to understand why anyone would want to stay. Yet, you also recognize a right of return, should this policy align with the needs of the people. Does the Trump administration support the Palestinians’ right to return?
STEVE WITKOFF: First and foremost, I want to highlight that President Trump is a very pragmatic and sensible individual. He realizes that clinging to outdated policies that have failed is not wise. The ineffectiveness of these old approaches in Gaza is apparent. Therefore, he advocates for a new vision—offering the people in Gaza improved opportunities for a better life and future for their children. The May 27 protocol proposed a five-year reconstruction plan, but we are considering a more extensive 15 to 20-year outlook. Recently, the Wall Street Journal echoed the idea that it may take at least 15 years before it’s safe for anyone to live there, signaling a major need for a realistic approach. Misunderstandings about the situation have led to flawed decision-making. We are working with factual considerations, recognizing the vast reconstruction efforts necessary, including the removal of unexploded ordnance. This is a long-term endeavor, and living conditions there currently are untenable.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However, they could potentially return?
STEVE WITKOFF: That ultimately hinges on the specifics. I believe there is no significant opposition to allowing people to return. We’ve discussed this topic at length. However, the immediate focus is completing phase two and constructing a viable reconstruction plan for Gaza, based on accurate information.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I also want to touch on Russia. As a trusted advisor to President Trump, you had a chance to speak directly with Vladimir Putin. According to Fox, your meeting with Putin lasted three and a half hours. Can you provide insights from that discussion? Did you use a translator or have a note-taker present? What transpired during that time?
STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, there were actually two translators present. My objective was to build trust and convey messages on behalf of the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. I didn’t have any expectations regarding the duration of the meeting; I was focused on delivering the President’s message to Putin. As the meeting progressed, I noticed it was close to three and a half hours long, which hopefully indicates we accomplished quite a bit. Trust-building, in my view, is fundamentally rooted in effective communication, and I believe we had a productive discussion. It’s up to President Trump and President Putin to navigate the next steps, and I am hopeful about positive outcomes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you have any intelligence personnel or other advisors accompanying you? That’s a considerable amount of time with Putin.
STEVE WITKOFF: No, it was just me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Just you. Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, mentioned that they anticipate several American companies to return to Russia this year. Is he correct in that expectation? Did you discuss lifting U.S. sanctions against Russia?
STEVE WITKOFF: We did not engage in that specific topic during our meeting. However, it’s likely that if a peace agreement is reached, the return of American companies to Russia would be seen as a beneficial development.
MARGARET BRENNAN: This would occur following the resolution of the war and after Russia makes certain concessions?
STEVE WITKOFF: Yes, that’s what many aim for.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.
STEVE WITKOFF: The initial goal, Margaret, would indeed be a temporary ceasefire, but the long-term aim is to bring an end to the widespread loss of life—around a million and a half fatalities thus far. President Trump is dedicated to halting this violence; it should never have taken place and must not continue another day. We are committed to this mission, and I believe we will see some optimistic developments soon.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for your insights, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. We’ll return shortly with more on “Face the Nation.” Stay tuned.
