Morgan Ortagus 'to leave Lebanon and Middle East role' amid Trump policy shift on Israel: report

Morgan Ortagus, the deputy to US envoy Steve Witkoff and the official overseeing the Trump administration's Lebanon portfolio, will soon leave her position, Israeli media reported on Sunday - a development viewed as a blow to Israeli interests.

Ortagus has been described as a staunch supporter of Israel and a key figure in pushing for the disarmament of Hezbollah. Her departure comes amid a wave of changes in the US National Security Council (NSC), which Israeli officials reportedly see as undermining strong pro-Israel voices within the administration.

According to Israel's Channel 14, the changes form part of a wider shake-up initiated by President Donald Trump to reduce the NSC’s influence and centralise foreign policy control. As the report notes, "there is currently no formal National Security Advisor in office; instead, the role is temporarily held by current Secretary of State Marc Rubio".

Also dismissed from the NSC recently were Merav Ceren, an Israeli-American official responsible for the Iran file, and Eric Trager, who handled Middle East and North Africa affairs. Both were seen as strong supporters of Israeli policy positions.

They were initially appointed under former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and removed by his successor Marco Rubio after Waltz's nomination as US ambassador to the UN.

Israeli journalist Tamir Morag, Channel 14’s diplomatic correspondent, elaborated on the significance of these changes in a statement on X.

"Morgan Ortagus, deputy to Steve Witkoff and the official in charge of the ‘Lebanon file’ in the administration, will soon be leaving her position," he wrote.

"This is not good news for Israel - Ortagus was very pro-Israel and worked quite assertively to promote the disarmament of Hezbollah."

In the same post, Morag confirmed the dismissals of Ceren and Trager, calling them "strong supporters of Israel". He added that their ousting "was not due to their views, but rather part of President Trump's broader move to weaken the National Security Council and concentrate foreign policy decision-making in the hands of a small group of his trusted confidants".

The Channel 14 report concluded that the cumulative effect of these changes "does not bode well for Israel", as the White House loses figures who had been instrumental in shaping Washington’s positions on Iran, Lebanon, and broader Middle East policy.

Ortagus's departure also marks the end of a controversial tenure in relation to Lebanon.

During her time in office, she drew criticism for remarks perceived as provocative, including a statement thanking Israel for what she described as the "defeat of Hezbollah" during a trip to Lebanon, failing to mention the hundreds of Lebanese civilians killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. 

The comment was widely condemned by Lebanese political figures and analysts as a breach of diplomatic protocol and an inappropriate interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.