Morgan Ortagus

Morgan Ortagus is a prominent Jewish figure in American foreign policy and national security circles. She has held positions in both Republican and Democratic administrations and has worked in the private sector on various national security and financial issues.

Born on July 10, 1982, in Auburndale, Florida, Ortagus pursued a music career, studying to become an opera singer. After the September 11, 2011, attacks, she shifted her focus to political science, graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College.

Ortagus’s career in government began in 2007 as a public affairs officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In this role, she was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, during the height of the Iraq War.

Following her time in Baghdad, Ortagus transitioned to an intelligence analyst role at the U.S. Treasury Department, focusing on tracking terrorist financing. She later served as the deputy U.S. Treasury Attaché in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2010 to 2011.

After leaving government service in 2011, Ortagus entered the private sector, co-founding a consulting firm and working in finance at EY and Standard Chartered Bank. She also became involved in Republican politics, serving as a national co-chair of Maverick PAC, an organization for conservative young professionals. During this time, she was a vocal advocate for gender parity within the Republican Party.

Ortagus also served as a national security contributor for Fox News, providing analysis and commentary on foreign policy issues.

In 2019, Ortagus was appointed the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department under Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In this role, she traveled extensively, coordinating messaging campaigns and responding to major foreign policy events.

Ortagus was heavily involved in the Donald Trump administration’s efforts to advance the Abraham Accords, a series of peace agreements between Israel and several Arab countries. She also played a role in pushing back against Chinese and Russian influence campaigns and highlighting the Chinese government’s genocide against the Uyghur population.

Following the end of the first Trump administration, Ortagus co-founded Rubicon Founders, a healthcare investment firm, and Polaris National Security, a think tank focused on American foreign policy. She also hosts “The Morgan Ortagus Show” on SiriusXM, where she discusses national security issues. Ortagus remains active in foreign policy and national security circles, advising various organizations, including the Atlantic Council, Concordia, and the International Republican Institute.

On January 3, 2025, President-elect Trump nominated Ortagus to serve as Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East under Steven Witkoff. However, Trump expressed public reservations due to their contentious political history and said he decided to nominate her because of her support among the Republican base.

On February 4, 2025, in an interview with Israeli Channel 12 News, Ortagus emphasized that inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the first head of state to the White House since President Trump took office reflected Trump’s foreign policy priorities. She also noted Trump’s early outreach to Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman as part of a broader effort to reverse Biden-era Middle East policies, which she claimed had led to instability. Ortagus asserted that Trump sought to restore peace through strength, pointing to the return of hostages held by Hamas and the re-designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization. She confirmed Trump’s commitment to maintaining a ceasefire and securing the release of the remainder of the hostages in Gaza.

Ortagus’s journey to Judaism began in 2007 while she was stationed in Baghdad. She felt the need for spiritual grounding in a war zone, so she attended Shabbat services at a U.S. Army trailer. The experience deeply resonated with her, sparking a process of exploration and study that culminated in her conversion to Judaism. Ortagus’s conversion took place over several years, with her then-boyfriend, Jonathan Weinberger, providing support and encouragement. She continued her studies while working in Saudi Arabia, a country historically hostile to Jews, conducting weekly Skype sessions with her Rabbi. She ultimately completed her conversion at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C. Ortagus has spoken about the challenges and rewards of converting to Judaism while living in Saudi Arabia, describing it as “the most true form of a conversion” due to its clandestine nature. Ortagus married Weinberger in 2013 in a ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ortagus has been a strong supporter of Israel throughout her career. Her work on the Abraham Accords significantly contributed to advancing peace and normalization between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Ortagus has also been critical of those who seek to delegitimize Israel or hold it to a double standard. She has condemned the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has spoken out against anti-Semitism. Ortagus’s commitment to Israel is rooted in her professional experience and faith. She views Israel as a vital ally of the United States and a beacon of democracy in a volatile region.

She lives in Nashville, Tennesee, with her husband and daughter.

Sources: “Meet Morgan,” morganortagus.com.
“Morgan Ortagus,” premierespeakers.com.
“Morgan Ortagus,” Concordia.
“Morgan Ortagus,” International Republican Institute.
“Morgan Ortagus,” U.S. Department of State.
“Morgan Ortagus,” Atlantic Council.
Gabby Deutch, “For the State Dept’s top spokeswoman, her journey to Judaism began in Baghdad,” Jewish Insider, (April 24, 2020). 
@realDonaldTrump, (January 3, 2025).
Jacob Magid, “Trump appoints Ortagus as deputy Mideast envoy, but admits he’s not excited about it,” Times of Israel, (January 4, 2025).

U.S. Department of State, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.