Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift
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Morgan Ortagus exits Lebanon role as the US reshapes its foreign policy, prompting concern among pro-"Israel" voices over key dismissals.
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Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)
Morgan Ortagus, the Deputy United States Special Envoy to the Middle East, in charge of Lebanon policy, will soon leave her post, a development seen as unfavorable for "Israel" due to her critical role in efforts to disarm Hezbollah, Israeli Channel 14 reported on Sunday.
In a similar context, Merav Ceren, an Israeli-American official handling the Iran portfolio, was recently dismissed, along with Eric Trager, who oversaw Middle East and North Africa affairs at the US National Security Council. Both were known as strong pro-"Israel" voices within the US administration, according to reports.
The channel reported that Merav Ceren and Eric Trager were appointed under former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz but were later removed by his successor, Marco Rubio, after Waltz became the US ambassador to the UN.
The report stated that the dismissals "were not due to the individuals' stances, but rather part of US President Donald Trump's approach to restructuring the National Security Council, reducing its influence, and transferring foreign policy management to a limited group of trusted figures."
For this reason, "there is currently no formal National Security Advisor in office; instead, the role is temporarily held by current Secretary of State Marc Rubio," Channel 14 explained.
Channel 14 concluded its report by warning that the recent wave of changes and departures in the White House ultimately "does not bode well for Israel," particularly as it loses key figures who had been strong supporters of its policies on sensitive issues like Lebanon and Iran.
Ortagus's leaving her post marks the departure of a controversial figure in Lebanon, with her statements, such as thanking "Israel" for what she claimed was defeating Hezbollah in the Presidential Palace in Baabda, inflaming tensions in the country, flouting proper protocol, and meddling in Lebanon's internal affairs.
