US Ambassador Slams Report on Aide's Wedding Cash Request

A senior advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, David Millstein, has sparked controversy after requesting cash gifts for his upcoming wedding, a practice common in Israel but against U.S. State Department rules. The request, detailed in a WhatsApp message shared with guests, included payment details for the gifts.

Politico published the report, leading to accusations that Millstein poses an "intelligence risk" and should face professional consequences. However, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, vehemently defended Millstein, calling the report a "failed smear attempt" and dismissing it as a "water pistol" attack.

Lew praised Millstein in a lengthy post on X, expressing disdain for Politico's reporting. Many observers criticized the report for focusing on a relatively unknown public servant.

The controversy intensified due to Millstein's family ties; his stepfather is influential conservative media personality Mark Levin, whose messages are often amplified by former President Trump. The report suggested Millstein leveraged this connection, a claim Lew denied, stating Millstein never mentioned his stepfather. Levin himself condemned the article as a "defamatory" character assassination, and Senator Ted Cruz, a former employer of Millstein, called the report "garbage."