Official announcements from the U.S. Department of State or credible international news agencies

Trump Appoints Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Envoy for Middle East Peace Under Witkoff Amid Republican Support

Jan 3, 2025, 10:41 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Morgan Ortagus as the Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace, where she will serve under Steven Witkoff, Trump's choice for special envoy to the Middle East. Trump's announcement highlighted past tensions with Ortagus, noting that she 'fought me for three years' but expressed hope that she has 'learned her lesson.' Despite these remarks, Trump indicated that the appointment was influenced by strong Republican support for Ortagus, stating, 'I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing it for them. Let’s see what happens.' Ortagus, who previously served as a spokesperson at the Department of State during Trump's first term, is an active U.S. Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer with experience in financial intelligence analysis and as a Deputy U.S. Treasury Attaché to Saudi Arabia.