History of Morgan Ortagus in Timeline

Morgan Ortagus is an American diplomat, intelligence analyst, political advisor, and former television commentator. She is currently the deputy special presidential envoy to the Middle East, since 2025. A Republican, she previously served as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State from 2019 to 2021. She also served as a naval officer.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

July 10, 1982: Morgan Ortagus Born

On July 10, 1982, Morgan Deann Ortagus was born. She is an American diplomat, intelligence analyst, political advisor, naval officer, and former television commentator.

Others born on this day/year

1996: Volunteering After Mentor's Death

In 1996, after her mentor was killed by a drunk driver, Ortagus volunteered with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

2005: Graduated From Florida Southern College

In 2005, Ortagus graduated from Florida Southern College with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science, switching from music after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

2006: Worked on Political Campaigns

In 2006, Morgan Ortagus worked as a press secretary on K. T. McFarland's Senate campaign, who was the former Deputy National Security Advisor. Prior to that, she worked on Adam Putnam's campaign staff.

2007: Public Affairs Officer at USAID

In 2007, Ortagus became a public affairs officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), spending several months in Baghdad, Iraq.

2008: Continued as USAID Public Affairs Officer

In 2008, Morgan Ortagus continued her role as a public affairs officer at USAID, including spending time in Baghdad, Iraq. She also attended a Hanukkah ceremony in one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces in Baghdad.

2008: Joins U.S. Treasury Department

In 2008, Morgan Ortagus joined the U.S. Treasury Department as an intelligence analyst in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, focusing on North Africa and the Middle East.

2010: Deputy Treasury Attaché in Saudi Arabia

In 2010, Ortagus became a deputy Treasury attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, working on countering illicit financial flows and acting as the liaison to the banking sector.

2011: Returns to the United States

In 2011, Morgan Ortagus returned to the United States after serving as a deputy Treasury attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

2013: Vice President of the Board

In 2013, Morgan Ortagus was the vice president of the board of the Friends of the Public Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, based in Washington.

2013: Graduated from Johns Hopkins University

In 2013, Ortagus graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Arts in Government and a Master of Business Administration from the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Her research included an honors thesis on counterinsurgency.

2013: Married Jonathan Weinberger

In 2013, Ortagus married Jonathan Weinberger, an attorney, with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg presiding over the wedding. This was her second marriage.

2014: Commissioned as Intelligence Officer

In 2014, Ortagus was commissioned as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.

2014: Intelligence Officer in the Navy Reserve

Since 2014, Ortagus has been an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.

2016: Volunteer on Jeb Bush Campaign

In 2016, Morgan Ortagus volunteered on the Jeb Bush presidential campaign.

2016: Executive Director at Ernst & Young

In 2016, Ortagus became an executive director at Ernst & Young (EY), where she helped found EY's Geostrategic Business Group to work on geopolitical risk analysis for investors.

June 2019: Disagreement with Canada's claim over Northwest Passage

In June 2019, Ortagus stated that the United States views Canada's claim that the waters of the Northwest Passage are internal waters of Canada as inconsistent with international law.

August 2019: Ortagus calls Chinese government a "thuggish regime"

In August 2019, Ortagus called the Chinese government a "thuggish regime" for harassing a Hong Kong-based American diplomat. She has condemned the Chinese government's treatment of workers in Xinjiang, China as well as their detention and indoctrination of Uyghur and other religious and ethnic minorities, and called on the CCP to end the use of forced labor.

2019: Appointed as State Department Spokesperson

In 2019, Ortagus returned to government as Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, succeeding Heather Nauert.

January 2020: Calls for U.S. Participation in Investigation of Flight 752

In January 2020, Ortagus called on Iran to allow the United States to participate in the investigation after Iran shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752.

January 2020: Defends Israel After Soleimani Killing

In January 2020, Ortagus defended Israel against Iranian threats after the U.S. killed Iran's Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani, and repeated the United States' pledge to work with Israel to protect mutual security interests.

January 2020: Ortagus on the Killing of Qassem Soleimani

In January 2020, after the U.S. killed Qassem Soleimani, Ortagus stated that no one was more affected by Soleimani's brutality and terrorism than the Iranian people themselves. She also argued that the United States had exercised maximum restraint.

May 2020: Blames Russia for Humanitarian Crises

In May 2020, Ortagus blamed Russian interference in Syria, Libya, and Yemen for exacerbating humanitarian crises and causing the deaths of civilians.

May 2020: Ortagus on China's New National Security Law in Hong Kong

In May 2020, Ortagus said that China was "breaking its word 27 years early" regarding its imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong and was "taking over the largest financial hub in Asia."

July 2020: Condemns Iranian Judiciary

In July 2020, Ortagus condemned the Iranian judiciary for its persistent violation of human rights, including their role in the death of journalist Zahra Kazemi, and for the Death Commissions that killed thousands of political prisoners in the 1980s.

July 2020: On the Chinese Communist Party

In July 2020, Ortagus said that blame rested with both political parties "for almost 40 years for not seeing the Chinese Communist Party for who they really are," and stressed the need for American citizens not to trust Chinese social media and technology companies that seek to access private data of U.S. citizens.

July 2020: U.S. Troubled by Russian Government Manipulation

In July 2020, Ortagus stated that the United States was "troubled by reports of Russian government efforts to manipulate the result of the recent votes on constitutional amendments, including reports of voter coercion, pressure on opponents of the amendments, and restrictions of independent observers of the vote."

September 11, 2020: Present for Abraham Accords Phone Call

On September 11, 2020, Ortagus was present for the phone call between President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah on which the Abraham Accords was agreed to.

October 2020: Opposes Turkey's Acquisition of Russian S-400 System

In October 2020, Ortagus stated that the United States had expressed its strong opposition to the Government of Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 system, and that the "United States has been clear on our expectation that the S-400 system should not be operationalized."

November 2020: Maternity Leave

In November 2020, Ortagus went on maternity leave from her position as Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department.

2020: Birth of Daughter Adina

In 2020, Morgan Ortagus and Jonathan Weinberger had a daughter named Adina.

February 2021: Founding Investor of Rubicon Founders

In February 2021, Ortagus became a founding investor of Rubicon Founders, a health-care investment firm based in Nashville, Tennessee.

February 7, 2022: Announces Candidacy for Congress

On February 7, 2022, Ortagus announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Tennessee's 5th congressional district.

March 2022: Leaves Atlantic Council

By March 2022, Ortagus had left her position as a Senior Advisor for the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council.

2022: Disqualified from Congressional Election

In 2022, Ortagus was a candidate for Tennessee's 5th congressional district but was disqualified by the Tennessee Republican Party despite an endorsement by President Donald Trump.

January 3, 2025: Appointed as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy

On January 3, 2025, then-President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Ortagus as deputy special presidential envoy for Middle East peace.

April 2025: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander

In April 2025, Morgan Ortagus was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve, with Secretary Pete Hegseth swearing her in at the White House.