Donald Trump has invited former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus to join his new administration — but he doesn’t seem thrilled about it.
The president-elect said Friday that he would appoint Ortagus, who was the public face of the State Department for three years in his first administration, to be deputy special presidential envoy for Middle East peace.
Trump noted in a post on social media that “early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson.”
He didn’t provide any specifics about their disagreement. In 2016, Ortagus criticized Trump’s isolationist views, but became a vocal supporter when he won the Republican nomination that year.
In a note that might not instill a lot of confidence in his pick, Trump also wrote that “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.”
Ortagus will work with Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.
“To be given the opportunity to once again represent my country and the Trump Administration in a crucial diplomatic role is [a] dream come true,” Ortagus posted on social media. “The most important thing is through President Trump, we bring peace and stability to a troubled region, and I’m grateful to play a small role in that endeavor.”
A Navy Reserve officer, Ortagus previously served as an intelligence analyst at the Treasury Department in the office of intelligence and analysis, where she worked on Middle East issues.
