Matthew Alan Miller (born 1973 or 1974)[1] is an American public official who has served as Spokesperson for the United States Department of State since 2023. A longtime Democratic Party communications operative, he has previously served in the Obama administration and for multiple Democratic presidential campaigns.
Matthew Miller | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 30th Spokesperson for the United States Department of State | |
| Assumed office April 24, 2023 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Vedant Patel |
| Preceded by | Ned Price |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew Alan Miller 1973 or 1974 (age 50–51) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin |
Early life and education
Miller was born in 1973 or 1974 to his mother, a management analyst for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and his father, a pastor.[1] 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]
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]
Miller has been responsible for communicating the State Department's public policy positions during the Israel–Hamas war. At a press conference on the matter, after he stated the U.S. "doesn't dictate to any country what it must do", a journalist interjected "Unless you invade them." Miller's laughter prompted Al Jazeera to run the following headline: "US official laughs at question on invading other countries".[7] While answering questions pertaining to the Gaza death toll, Miller was accused by a man understood to be journalist Sam Husseiniof of "smirking". Miller replied "Absolutely not" and that he wouldn't "entertain" the accusation.[8] Several months after the "smirking" incident, Miller was rebuked by Matt Lee of the Associated Press, for laughing while answering a question about U.S. provided aid not reaching Gaza.[9] 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."[10]
Miller called United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728 "non-binding", although stating it should be enforced.[11] 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]" and alleged that Albanese had a "history of anti-Semitic comments".[12][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.[14] This prompted criticism from the Council on American–Islamic Relations, and a correction from the State Department, who confirmed Jawad's U.S. citizenship.[15]
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.
- ^ https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/world/i-suspect-that-the-levity-is-a-little-bit-inappropriate/video/3fc3331847178ac8ea7f6b7ab487b113
- ^ https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2024/11/08/matthew-miller-has-the-most-despicable-job-in-the-us-but-it-seems-like-he-is-enjoying-it/
- ^ "Department Press Briefing – March 26, 2024". U.S. Department of State. March 26, 2024.
- ^ "UN expert defiant amid threats after Israel 'genocide' finding". France 24. Agence France-Presse. March 27, 2024.
- ^ Johnson, Jake (March 28, 2024). "State Department Spokesman Urged to Resign Over 'Despicable' Attack on UN Expert". Common Dreams. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/american-killed-lebanon-was-us-citizen-state-dept-says-2024-10-04/
- ^ https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/13/us/american-killed-lebanon-israeli-airstrike/index.html