The State Department has removed its lead communications officer on Israeli-Palestinian affairs following repeated confrontations over language used in press materials tied to Trump administration policy, The Washington Post revealed. Among the flashpoints was a proposed statement on the Gaza Strip that would have rejected forced population transfers – wording struck down by senior officials.
? SCOOP ?
Pro-Iranian Regime Jihadi Muslim Tied To NIAC @NIACouncil
FIRED From US State Department @StateDept's Office of Press and Public Diplomacy In The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Where He Was Pushing Pro-Iranian Regime Propaganda Under The Trump Administration— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 20, 2025
Shahed Ghoreishi, who lost his post Monday, had suggested including the line, "We do not support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza." The phrasing matched remarks by both President Donald Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff, who previously said Washington was not advancing an "eviction plan" for the territory. According to The Washington Post, department leaders ordered that the language be removed.
Anonymous officials told The Washington Post that Ghoreishi's firing underscored an uncompromising stance inside the department: public messaging must adhere closely to pro-Israel framing, even if alternative language is rooted in long-standing US positions.
Spokesman Tommy Pigott would not specify a reason for the dismissal. "We do not comment on leaked emails or allegations," he said, adding that the department has "zero tolerance" for leaks and expects staff to prioritize "the duly elected president's agenda." Ghoreishi told The Washington Post that he received no explanation for his termination but said it raised troubling implications regarding potential mass relocation of Palestinians, although Israel has denied any such measures and has shown that such plans are merely to prevent them from being harmed as Israel takes out Hamas terrorists.
"Despite a strong reputation and close working relationship with many of my colleagues, I was unable to survive these disputes," Ghoreishi said, stressing that the wording he advanced had been approved for use since Trump assumed office in January.
Tensions also surfaced after the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and others in Gaza City. Israel maintained al-Sharif was affiliated with Hamas, a claim denied by Al-Jazeera. No such assertion was made about the other victims. Ghoreishi recommended a condolence statement mourning the deaths of journalists, but leadership rejected the idea in an Aug. 10 email: "No response is needed. We can't be sending out condolences if we are unsure of this individual's actions," The Washington Post reported.
Central to the disputes was David Milstein, senior adviser to Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Officials familiar with the matter claimed to The Washington Post that Milstein often overreaches his role by intervening on behalf of Israel. Critics described him as eager to satisfy Israeli officials, while Pigott countered that he was a "valued advocate for the policies of the Trump Administration and for the American people."
According to the report, Milstein previously pushed for a Rubio-signed statement denouncing Ireland's move toward banning settlement-related trade. European and Middle East diplomats resisted, insisting on private diplomacy with Dublin, and ultimately blocked its release.
He later pressed for use of the terms "Judea and Samaria" instead of "West Bank," the Post reported. A memo he wrote lauded House Speaker Mike Johnson for visiting "Judea and Samaria." Ghoreishi intervened, revising the phrasing to the internationally recognized "West Bank" before its release.
This week, Ghoreishi was targeted by far-right commentator Laura Loomer, who accused him on social media of being a "Pro-Iranian Regime Jihadi Muslim Tied To NIAC." Ghoreishi confirmed he had interned with the National Iranian American Council in 2013.
