US Ambassador Slams Politico Over "National Security Risk" Wedding Invitation Story

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckaby, has sharply criticized Politico for a report concerning David Millstein, a senior advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. The article, published in Politico's Playbook newsletter on September 21, coincided with the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Politico reported that Millstein, who holds top-secret clearance, had sent out wedding invitations that included a QR code for guests to send monetary gifts in dollars or shekels. The publication noted that Israeli citizens also received these invitations, raising potential security concerns given Millstein's clearance and the offer of financial transfers to foreign nationals. While Politico did not cite a specific regulation violated, it quoted current and former U.S. intelligence officials who view such financial ties as a potential counterintelligence risk.

Following inquiries from journalists, Millstein informed guests that the gift information was intended only for close family and friends but was mistakenly sent to a wider audience. He stated he could not accept gifts and subsequently removed the QR codes. Ambassador Huckaby condemned the report as an attempt to smear an embassy employee, dismissing the notion that a wedding invitation could pose a national security threat. He explained that Millstein's friends had inquired about how to congratulate him, and that any "scandal" should be attributed to him and Millstein's true friends. Huckaby described Millstein as a brilliant specialist.