US President-elect Donald Trump announced on Friday the appointment of Morgan Ortagus, former spokesperson for the State Department and a key negotiator during the 2020 preparations for the Morocco-US-Israel trilateral agreement, to his administration as the official responsible for peace in the Middle East.
Trump shared the news on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying, "I am pleased to announce the appointment of Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace, alongside Steven Witkoff." He added, "Initially, Morgan opposed me for three years, but I hope she has learned her lesson."
According to Trump, Morgan Ortagus possesses extensive experience in diplomacy and national security. He highlighted her role as an active intelligence officer in the US Navy Reserve and her tenure as the State Department spokesperson under Mike Pompeo from 2019 to 2021.
Trump described Ortagus as a member of the team behind the historic Abraham Accords, which brought unprecedented peace to the Middle East. She was involved in negotiations and mediations with Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan.
The president-elect, who will officially return to the White House on January 20, noted that Ortagus also served at the Treasury Department as a financial intelligence analyst and, from 2010 to 2011, as Deputy Financial Attaché in Saudi Arabia.
Trump expressed mixed feelings about the appointment, stating, "Usually, these things don’t go smoothly, but she has strong Republican backing. I’m not doing this for myself but for them." He added, "Let’s see what happens. We hope she proves to be a valuable addition to Steve’s team, an exceptional and talented leader."
Trump implicitly linked Ortagus’s appointment to efforts aimed at resolving the Gaza conflict and addressing the Israeli hostage crisis, saying, "We are working to bring calm and prosperity to a troubled region. I expect great results soon."
Meanwhile, the American television network Newsmax highlighted Ortagus’s role as part of the negotiating team for the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first administration, emphasizing her contribution to Israel establishing diplomatic ties with Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the UAE.
