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.
On July 10, 1982, Morgan Deann Ortagus was born. She is an American diplomat, intelligence analyst, political advisor, naval officer, and former television commentator.
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).
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.
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.
In 2007, Ortagus became a public affairs officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), spending several months in Baghdad, Iraq.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In 2013, Ortagus married Jonathan Weinberger, an attorney, with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg presiding over the wedding. This was her second marriage.
In 2014, Ortagus was commissioned as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.
Since 2014, Ortagus has been an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.
In 2016, Morgan Ortagus volunteered on the Jeb Bush presidential campaign.
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.
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.
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.
In 2019, Ortagus returned to government as Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, succeeding Heather Nauert.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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."
In November 2020, Ortagus went on maternity leave from her position as Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department.
In 2020, Morgan Ortagus and Jonathan Weinberger had a daughter named Adina.
In February 2021, Ortagus became a founding investor of Rubicon Founders, a health-care investment firm based in Nashville, Tennessee.
On February 7, 2022, Ortagus announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Tennessee's 5th congressional district.
By March 2022, Ortagus had left her position as a Senior Advisor for the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council.
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.
On January 3, 2025, then-President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Ortagus as deputy special presidential envoy for Middle East peace.
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.
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Ukraine is a large country in Eastern Europe second only...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer and Supreme Court...
Saudi Arabia officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA is...
Hong Kong is a densely populated special administrative region of...
Africa is the second-largest and second-most populous continent comprising of...
2 days ago Kid Rock Opens Nashville Seafood Restaurant, Receives Congratulations from Trump Who Calls Him 'badass'.
2 days ago Iga Swiatek reaches Roland Garros 2025 quarterfinal after dramatic match with Switolina.
2 days ago Chelsea declines Jadon Sancho deal, opts to return him to Man Utd.
2 days ago Maignan's Renewal: Allegri's Request, Chelsea's Interest, and Milan's Negotiation Updates
2 days ago Aryna Sabalenka seeks French Open revenge against Zheng Qinwen in quarter-finals.
2 days ago Ukraine's Drone Attacks Inside Russia Impact Military Strategy, Targeting Warplanes and Key Assets.
Cristiano Ronaldo often called CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Elon Musk is a prominent businessman best known for leading...
Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer widely considered one...