Official announcements from the U.S. State Department or recognized international bodies

Trump Names Former Critic Morgan Ortagus Deputy Mideast Envoy, Says 'Not Doing This for Me'

Jan 3, 2025, 11:33 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace, serving under Steven Witkoff. Both Ortagus and Witkoff are known as strong supporters of Israel. Ortagus previously served as the State Department spokesperson during Trump's first term and is a U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer. Despite Ortagus's prior criticisms of Trump's foreign policy as "isolationist," Trump noted in his announcement, "Early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson. 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 has been met with support from Republican lawmakers and officials, including Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative Joe Wilson, who praised Ortagus's experience and commitment to Middle East peace. Ortagus is expected to help advance the Abraham Accords and strengthen U.S. relationships in the region.