Matthew Miller (spokesperson)
Matthew Miller | |
|---|---|
| 30th Spokesperson for the United States Department of State | |
| In office April 24, 2023 – January 20, 2025 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Vedant Patel |
| Preceded by | Ned Price |
| Succeeded by | Tammy Bruce |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew Alan Miller 1973 or 1974 (age 50–51)[1] |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin |
Matthew Alan Miller (born 1973 or 1974)[1] is a former American public official who was spokesperson for the United States Department of State from 2023 to 2025. A longtime Democratic Party communications operative, he previously served in the Obama administration and for multiple Democratic presidential campaigns.
Early life and education
Miller was born in 1973 or 1974. As of 2010, his mother was a retired management analyst for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and his father was a retired pastor. He graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin.[1][2]
Career
Miller has worked for Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, as well as the 2004 Kerry and the 2012 Obama presidential campaigns.[2]
During the Obama administration, Miller headed the Office of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice,[3] and served as the spokesman for U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.[4]
After the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Miller was part of the Biden presidential transition.[5]
During the early days of the Biden administration, he led the efforts to get Antony Blinken's nomination as U.S. Secretary of State confirmed.[6] In 2022, he coordinated communications efforts regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine for the U.S. National Security Council.[4]
Miller then worked for management and communications firm Vianovo, while also appearing as an analyst on MSNBC.[6]
Department of State spokesperson
On April 11, 2023, Miller was named as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State, succeeding Ned Price.[4] He started in this new position on April 24, 2023.[2]
At one press conference on the Gaza war, Miller stated the U.S. "doesn't dictate to any country what it must do", a journalist interjected "Unless you invade them."[7] While answering questions pertaining to the Gaza death toll, Miller was accused by a man, understood to be journalist Sam Husseini, of "smirking". Miller replied "Absolutely not" and that he wouldn't "entertain" the accusation.[8]
During a September 30, 2024 press briefing, Miller stated "We’ve never wanted to see a diplomatic resolution with Hamas […] We have always been committed to the destruction of Hamas. [… W]e ultimately want to see a diplomatic resolution to conflict in the Middle East," a position criticized by Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson as undermining the State Department's self-styled occupation with diplomatic maneuvering, and being self-contradictory, "since Hamas is a party to the conflict."[9]
Miller was rebuked by Matt Lee of the Associated Press, for laughing while answering a question about U.S. provided aid not reaching Gaza.[10][11] The joking by Miller was further criticized by author Mark O'Connell in a piece for The Irish Times devoted to Miller's conduct; O'Connell attributed Miller's laughter to, "his apparent disregard for the humanity of the people forced to live, and to die, amid the savagery of Israel's assault".[12]
After Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese presented a report concluding that Israel's assault on Gaza has met the threshold of genocide, Miller said that the U.S. had "for a longstanding period of time opposed the mandate of" Albanese[13] and alleged that Albanese had a "history of anti-Semitic comments".[14] Miller's accusation was condemned by Trita Parsi and by several organizations, some of whom called for Miller's resignation or likened Miller to using a, "Trumpian smearing of a principled human rights expert".[13]
In the early stages of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Miller stated that a U.S. citizen from Michigan who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Kamel Ahmad Jawad, was not a U.S. citizen but instead a legal permanent resident.[15] This prompted criticism from the Council on American–Islamic Relations, and a correction from the State Department, who confirmed Jawad's U.S. citizenship.[16]
On January 20, 2025, he was succeeded by Tammy Bruce.[17]
Post-retirement (2025-present)
In a 2025 interview with Sky News, Miller described recognition of Palestine by European countries and the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses as "appropriate," and stated belief that the Biden administration could have done more to pressure the Israeli government to agree to ceasefire. Miller also stated "without a doubt" that Israeli soldiers are guilty of war crimes in the Gaza war. However, Miller also believed that a "genocide" was not being carried out in Gaza.[18][19]
Personal life
Miller married his second wife in 2010. His first marriage ended in a divorce.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Megan Bartley, Matthew Miller". The New York Times. July 23, 2010. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Matthew Miller". United States Department of State. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Former NSC official Matthew Miller named as U.S. State Dept spokesperson". Reuters. April 12, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ a b c Lee, Matthew (April 11, 2023). "Blinken names ex-NSC official to be new State Dept spokesman". Associated Press. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ Tarar, Eman Mudassar (April 12, 2023). "Matthew Miller appointed as US State Department Spokesperson". The Diplomatic Insight. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Lippman, Daniel (April 10, 2023). "Biden eyes seasoned Dem operative to be State spokesperson". Politico. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ "US official laughs at question on invading other countries". Al Jazeera. February 28, 2024.
- ^ Dawson, Joe (July 9, 2024). "State Department spokesman accused of 'smirking' while discussing Gaza deaths". The Independent. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ Robinson, Nathan J. (November 26, 2024). "Biden Didn't Really Try to End the War in Gaza". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on November 27, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ "No Cookies". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ "Journalist calls out US spokesman Matthew Miller for laughing while answering question about Gaza". YouTube. November 5, 2024.
- ^ "Mark O'Connell: This man has the most despicable job in America, but he doesn't have to seem like he's enjoying it". The Irish Times. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Johnson, Jake (March 28, 2024). "State Department Spokesman Urged to Resign Over 'Despicable' Attack on UN Expert". Common Dreams. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ "UN expert defiant amid threats after Israel 'genocide' finding". France 24. Agence France-Presse. March 27, 2024.
- ^ "American killed in Lebanon was a US citizen, State Dept says". Reuters. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Elassar, Alaa (October 13, 2024). "Lebanese American killed by Israeli airstrike while caring for those who were displaced, family says". CNN. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
- ^ Toosi, Nahal (January 4, 2025). "Trump picks Fox's Tammy Bruce as State spokesperson". Politico. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Stone, Mark (June 2, 2025). "Former Biden official Matthew Miller Israel has 'without doubt' committed war crimes in Gaza". Sky News. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
- ^ "Ex-Biden official says 'without doubt' Israel committed war crimes in Gaza". Al Jazeera. June 3, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.