NYT: US Envoy's Advisor Altered Reports Critical of Israel

David Millstein, a senior advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, repeatedly blocked or rewrote diplomatic reports to present the government of Benjamin Netanyahu more favorably to Washington, according to a New York Times investigation. Instead of warnings about settler violence and Palestinian deaths, the U.S. administration received reports praising Israeli leadership, sources told the newspaper. The NYT investigation included interviews with 15 U.S. officials who worked with Millstein and nine former diplomats, along with the review of dozens of documents, including diplomatic cables and internal correspondence.

Sources cited concerns that Millstein's actions hindered the transmission of accurate information to Washington and sometimes contradicted President Donald Trump's stated policies. One instance involved Israel's approval of a record number of settlements in Judea and Samaria in late March 2026. Embassy staff prepared a critical report, but Millstein allegedly blocked its transmission. Similarly, in April 2026, when IDF officials warned that settler violence could provoke a new intifada, Millstein allegedly altered reports to include praise for Netanyahu's "new and unprecedented initiatives" to combat violence, changing the document's title to "Government Takes Decisive Action Against Escalation of Violence on the West Bank."

Another case involved the deaths of nine U.S. citizens of Palestinian descent in Judea and Samaria over four years. When U.S. Congress members requested information, embassy staff prepared a report detailing stalled investigations and closed cases. Millstein reportedly blocked this document, suggesting instead a letter stating Israel was conducting investigations properly. He began exerting control over outgoing communications shortly after returning to the embassy in Jerusalem early in Trump's second term, demanding approval for correspondence on Palestinian issues, which reduced report frequency significantly.

Sources believe Millstein's interference, more active than any predecessor, distorts Washington's understanding of events and shields the Netanyahu government from potential U.S. administration reactions. He allegedly asked colleagues if they were "for Israel" or "for Hamas," causing some to fear speaking freely. It remains unclear how aware Ambassador Mike Huckabee was of Millstein's actions, though sources suggest they may have jointly misrepresented information to the Trump administration at times, while Huckabee also intervened to stop Millstein on occasion.

The New York Times investigation builds on earlier reports about Millstein's influence, providing new documentary evidence and previously unpublished examples of information being skewed to favor the Netanyahu government over the past year. Despite dissatisfaction expressed by some White House and State Department officials, it is not yet clear if Millstein's interference has impacted U.S. policy toward Israel. Millstein and Huckabee declined to be interviewed by the NYT. Huckabee issued a written statement calling the investigation "ridiculous" and categorically rejecting its claims. The State Department stated that employees remain focused on advancing President Trump's agenda.