Shahed Ghoreishi, a former State Department press officer, alleges he was fired by David Milstein, senior adviser to Ambassador Mike Huckabee and stepson of Fox News host Mark Levin, for refusing to align U.S. press guidance with Israeli government narratives.
Ghoreishi, who was responsible for handling Israel-Palestine affairs within the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau, asserts that his sudden dismissal in August 2025 was unexplained, stemming from higher officials prioritizing pro-Israel rhetoric over U.S. interests.
This incident exposes a troubling prioritization of foreign agendas, undermining America First principles and U.S. sovereignty.
As a press officer, Ghoreishi crafted responses to media queries and briefed spokespeople, ensuring alignment with administration policy.
He stated, “I was well-integrated within the organization with political appointees and civil servants, yet they suddenly undermined my work over straightforward issues.”
His termination occurred after drafting statements such as “We do not support forced displacement,” which were removed despite previous approvals and alignment with statements from President Trump and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
From an anti-globalist viewpoint, this exemplifies bureaucratic capture, where U.S. diplomacy is swayed by foreign influence, suppressing dissent to uphold policies like possible Gaza population transfers.
Significant events include withholding condolences for journalists killed in Israeli attacks and amending neutral terms, with actions supported by Milstein and Huckabee.
These underscore drastic changes in U.S. policy, potentially enabling West Bank annexation and Gaza displacements, depleting American resources and independence.
Ghoreishi’s Role and Operations
Shahed Ghoreishi worked in the State Department’s Near Eastern Affairs Bureau, covering Middle East affairs from Morocco to Iran, including the Levant, Gulf states, and North Africa.
Assigned to Israel-Palestine affairs at the Trump administration’s request, his role was high-stakes, navigating intense scrutiny amid ongoing conflicts.
His duties as a press officer involved drafting cleared responses for media and briefing spokespeople.
He noted, “The main role of a press officer is preparing the spokesperson before they go on the podium and sharing cleared lines with reporters.”
This required creating press guidance packets twice weekly, anticipating questions, and aligning answers with policy through a rigorous clearance process involving desk officers, bureau leadership, and the seventh floor—staffers representing the Secretary’s Policy Planning Office and Deputy Secretary.
Ghoreishi relied on quotes from Trump or Witkoff for policy guidance but faced pushback on stylistic choices, revealing bureaucratic tensions.
His established ties across political and civil servant lines made his sudden dismissal over procedural adherence particularly jarring, hinting at external pressures overriding standard operations.
Incidents Leading to Firing
Shahed Ghoreishi’s dismissal stemmed from three incidents where his drafts clashed with pro-Israel directives from David Milstein and Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s team.
First, Ghoreishi proposed condolences for journalists killed in Israeli strikes but was told to withhold them pending verification of Israeli claims, reflecting a deference to foreign narratives over humanitarian response.
Second, addressing reports of Israel relocating Palestinians from Gaza to South Sudan, Ghoreishi drafted, “We do not support forced displacement,” a line previously cleared and aligned with Trump and Witkoff’s statements, such as Witkoff’s, “We’re not trying to evict anybody.”
He stated, “I have the evidence from July 28th of clearing this press guidance with that line,” yet the Secretary’s office cut it without explanation, questioning him days later:
“They asked me Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, twice in a row, which is very odd for a random bullet.”
This coincided with rumors of displacements to Libya, Somaliland, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, suggesting U.S. complicity.
Third, Ghoreishi edited guidance to use “West Bank” instead of “Judea and Samaria,” triggering backlash from Milstein’s team, who pushed Israeli-preferred terms.
Huckabee’s unchecked tweets, comparing Gaza to Dresden bombings, amplified this tilt, going unrebuked by Rubio’s office.
These incidents, culminating in Ghoreishi’s August firing, highlight a push to enforce Israeli-aligned narratives, bypassing procedures and silencing dissent, potentially enabling radical policies like population transfers.
David Milstein and Mark Levin Connection
David Milstein, senior adviser to Ambassador Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem and stepson of pro-Israel Fox News host Mark Levin, played a central role in Ghoreishi’s firing.
Milstein, coordinating with Secretary Rubio’s office, allegedly enforced Israeli narratives, overriding standard procedures to prioritize foreign interests.
When asked, “Have you called David Milstein to ask what happened?” Ghoreishi replied, “I have not,” underscoring the abrupt, unexplained dismissal.
Milstein’s influence, tied to Levin’s vocal pro-Israel advocacy, suggests foreign capture of U.S. diplomacy, subverting America First by aligning policy with Israeli preferences, from terminology to displacement stances.
This connection raises alarms about personal ties amplifying external pressures, allowing figures like Huckabee to operate unchecked while dissenters like Ghoreishi are ousted, undermining independent American policy.
Implications for U.S. Policy and Gaza
Ghoreishi’s firing signals a radical U.S. policy shift favoring Israeli objectives, risking West Bank annexation and Gaza displacements.
He warned, “I do know they cut my line on forced displacement and now there’s new reporting on them moving them out of Gaza. So it’s not headed into the right direction.”
Rumors of relocating Palestinians to African nations, possibly with U.S. involvement, erode sovereignty.
On the West Bank, Ghoreishi noted, “I think we were setting up annexation… an Israeli takeover of the West Bank,” absorbing Area C without clarifying Palestinian rights, a move illegal under international law.
He criticized, “We’re letting Israel take the front seat of our US foreign policy when we have the power to end these wars,” burning alliances with partners like Australia, UK, and Canada, who lean toward Palestinian recognition.
Ghoreishi admired Trump’s anti-neocon Saudi speech for promoting peace, yet felt betrayed by escalations, including strikes on Iran and Yemen.
This deference to Israeli narratives drains U.S. resources and invites radicalism, betraying America First principles.
Conclusion
Shahed Ghoreishi’s firing, driven by David Milstein and Mike Huckabee, exposes foreign influence overriding U.S. interests, enforcing Israeli narratives over American sovereignty.
He noted, “They never explained anything to me… They did ask me about that line. That’s the only hint that we have.” This opacity betrays procedural integrity, enabling radical policies like Gaza displacements and West Bank annexations.
America First demands rejecting external control, prioritizing national interests over alliances that squander diplomatic capital.
Transparency in policy-making is critical to prevent such betrayals. Seek unfiltered truth from independent sources.
