Tommy Tuberville

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Thursday praised President Donald Trump's approach to Middle East negotiations while acknowledging the difficulty of dealing with what he described as unpredictable and dangerous actors in the region.

On Newsmax's "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Tuberville said Trump is attempting to navigate a complex geopolitical landscape while pursuing broader regional agreements aimed at stabilizing the Middle East.

"You got to give credit to President Trump," Tuberville said. "He's trying to get a square peg into a round hole. He's dealing with mass murderers."

U.S. and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement Thursday to extend the ceasefire in the 3-month-old war by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran's nuclear program, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

Iran did not immediately confirm any deal. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday evening confirmed there was a tentative agreement, but he said it was unclear if Trump would approve it.

Tuberville did not name specific individuals or groups but referenced tensions involving Iran and broader instability across the region. He said the situation remains highly uncertain despite diplomatic efforts.

"You don't know who to trust. You don't know who's in charge," Tuberville said, adding that classified briefings he has attended reinforced the complexity of the situation.

The senator said Trump continues to make progress diplomatically even as negotiations remain unpredictable.

"At the end of the day, everything he's doing, he doesn't know what to expect at the end of the negotiations," Tuberville said.

"He doesn't know whether they're going to agree with it or they're going to go along with it. Are they going to stick with it?"

Tuberville pointed to Trump's efforts to expand or revive the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements reached during Trump's first administration between Israel and several Arab nations. The accords were widely viewed as a signature foreign policy achievement of Trump's first term.

"What I like is he's trying to put together the Abraham Accords at the same time," Tuberville said. "Trying to get everybody on the same page."

The senator said he believes Middle Eastern nations should ultimately take greater responsibility for containing Iran and managing regional security challenges rather than relying primarily on the United States.

"Free up the Middle East, put all the people in the Middle East in charge of Iran instead of the United States of America," he said. "And I think that's the best thing he can do."

Tuberville cautioned, however, that achieving a broader diplomatic breakthrough remains unlikely and fraught with uncertainty.

"At the end of the day, it's a long, long shot," he said.

The comments come as the Trump administration continues weighing diplomatic and strategic options involving Iran, including efforts to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions while maintaining pressure through regional alliances and economic sanctions.

Trump administration officials have repeatedly said they are pursuing peace through strength while warning Iran against escalating tensions in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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