Morgan Ortagus, the newly appointed deputy to U.S. presidential envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, arrived in Israel on Sunday following high-level meetings in Lebanon. Her visit comes as tensions rise over Hezbollah’s role in the newly formed Lebanese government and the fragile cease-fire with Israel.
Ortagus, who previously served as the State Department’s spokesperson during Donald Trump's first term, was given responsibility for Lebanese affairs, replacing Amos Hochstein. In Israel, she met with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, whose office is overseeing her visit. She also toured an IDF post in Lebanon alongside Katz. She is expected to leave the region on Monday.
Her appointment by Trump in early January was notable for the president’s lukewarm endorsement, writing in his announcement that Ortagus “fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson."
While he did not specify the disagreements, reports suggest they stemmed from Ortagus' early criticism of Trump's isolationist foreign policy during the 2016 campaign. However, she later became a vocal supporter after he secured the Republican nomination.
In her first public mission since taking office, Ortagus met with newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and top government officials. She pressed them to prevent Hezbollah from holding ministerial positions, warning that the cease-fire with Israel remains "fragile" and that any flare-up could end it entirely.
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Speaking at a press conference in Beirut, Ortagus said the U.S. has set "clear red lines" for Lebanon’s new government, insisting Hezbollah must have no role. "Lebanon’s leaders are committed to ensuring Hezbollah is not part of the government in any way. That era is over. Israel has succeeded in defeating Hezbollah, and we commend them for it," she said.
Despite her remarks, Lebanon's new government was announced on Saturday, with Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, securing five ministerial posts.
Her visit also sparked controversy in Lebanon due to a ring she wore prominently during meetings—a Star of David. Lebanese social media users took notice, with one commenting on X (formerly Twitter), "This envoy is even more Zionist than her predecessors."
Hezbollah-aligned MP Hassan Ezzedine condemned her comments on Hezbollah, accusing her of "endorsing enemy crimes." Small protests erupted outside Beirut’s airport upon her departure.
Ortagus, 42, has a diverse background in diplomacy, intelligence and media. She was born in Florida to a cleaning business owner and an office manager and once placed third in the Miss Florida pageant. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in business administration and international relations from Johns Hopkins University.
Ironically, she began her career as a public affairs officer for USAID, the same agency Trump later sought to dismantle. During her diplomatic service in the Middle East, she developed an interest in Judaism, ultimately converting. She married businessman Jonathan Weinberger in 2013 in a ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a longtime neighbor. The couple has a five-year-old daughter, Adina.
Ortagus later worked as an intelligence analyst and deputy attaché at the Treasury Department, as well as a commentator for Fox News. Before becoming State Department spokesperson under then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo, she served as a Navy Reserve officer in Saudi Arabia. As spokesperson, she was known for her tough stance on Iran and China, particularly in countering Beijing’s attempts to shift blame for the COVID-19 pandemic onto the U.S.
Trump’s decision to appoint her as Witkoff’s deputy despite past tensions appears to have been influenced by her strong ties to key Republican figures, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Senator Lindsey Graham and incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. She also worked closely with Jared Kushner during the Abraham Accords negotiations, and the two remain on good terms.