Ousted Libyan minister reportedly eyes Middle-East role in Trump administration

Libya’s diplomatic sphere faces fresh turbulence as suspended Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush, who sparked controversy with her secret Israeli diplomatic meeting, is reportedly poised for a role in a potential Trump administration, according to a senior Libyan journalist.

Abdulkader Assad, senior political editor for Libya Observer, reported on X that Mangoush, who holds dual Libyan-American citizenship, may attend Trump’s inauguration and receive a Middle East role in the administration, further complicating Libya’s diplomatic landscape.

Mangoush’s suspension from FM role following meeting with Israeli counterpart

In her first extensive interview with Al Jazeera’s Atheer podcast her controversial meeting, Mangoush defended her August 2023 encounter with then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Italy, revealing it was coordinated by both the Israeli government and Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity.

“I do not think (the meeting) was wrong from a matter of principle,” Mangoush told Al Jazeera. “The meeting was limited to specific topics and within a specific framework.”

The revelation contradicts earlier statements by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s government, which had claimed the meeting was unauthorized.

The disclosure sparked fresh protests across multiple Libyan cities, including Tripoli, Misrata, and Zawia, where demonstrators blocked roads and waved Palestinian flags.

The former minister had previously disclosed that the controversial Israeli meeting covered “sensitive strategic and security issues” including Libya’s Mediterranean Sea security and resource preservation, though she maintained her opposition to Israeli government policies.

Political critics had labeled Mangoush’s statements after the secret meeting with Israel a “political scandal,” called for an urgent investigation into the incident.