Trump Names Ex-State Department Spokesperson Ortagus Deputy Middle East Envoy Despite Past Criticism

Jan 3, 2025, 09:36 PM

President-Elect Donald Trump has announced the appointment of Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace, serving under Special Envoy Steven Witkoff. Ortagus, who previously served as the spokesperson for the State Department during Trump's first term, had been a vocal critic of Trump. In his announcement, Trump acknowledged that Ortagus had "fought me for three years," but expressed hope that she has "learned her lesson." He added, "These things usually don't work out, but she has strong Republican support, and I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for them. Let's see what happens." The appointment suggests a willingness by Trump to set aside personal grievances to advance Middle East peace efforts.