President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of a deputy special envoy to the Middle East in a statement Friday, but his confidence in the choice was not exactly conveyed.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump wrote that he has chosen Morgan Ortagus as the vice presidential special envoy for Middle East peace. Mr. Ortagus has experience in foreign policy and diplomacy and is a former Fox News contributor. But in his announcement, President Trump appeared to have little confidence in her ability to play the role, even accusing her of defying him without providing details.
“Morgan fought me for three years early on and I hope she has learned her lesson,” he wrote. “These things don’t usually go well, but she has strong Republican support and I’m not doing it for myself, I’m doing it for them. What happens is… Let’s see.”
It is unclear what specific grievances President Trump has against Ortagus. She was a vocal critic of Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, but became an ardent supporter after he secured the Republican nomination. She served as State Department spokesperson for three years during his first term.
Trump also wrote that Ortagus would “hopefully” be an asset to Middle East envoy Stephen Witkoff.
“We hope to see great results soon!” he added.
The president-elect’s statement about Ortagus differs from other recent personnel announcements. But Witkoff’s appointment to the post stands in stark contrast to other nominees in President Trump’s administration who have had little or no experience related to the role sought. Witkoff himself is a billionaire real estate executive with no diplomatic experience.
In a statement about his appointment, Ortagus made no mention of Trump’s pursuit, saying only that he was “honored” by the opportunity to “represent our country and the Trump administration in this important diplomatic role.”
