The State Department criticized The Daily Beast over a “sexist” article that mocked Maura Namdar’s new role as the head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the branch responsible for visas and passports.
A left-leaning tabloid had a piece deriding the appointment with the headline, “Trump hires hair salon owner to decide who to expel from US.”
Tommy Piggott, the deputy press secretary at the State Department, responded sharply: “What a shameful, pathetic, and frankly sexist way to describe her career.”
The Senate confirmed Namdar, an attorney and owner of a Dallas law firm, on December 18 before recessing for the holidays.
Before taking on the role of Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Namdar served as a senior official in the Near East Bureau.
Namdar had previously filled this position temporarily during the first Trump administration.
Namdar ran a mini-salon chain and worked as a lawyer before stepping into her current role in the State Department.
In her position, she supported President Trump’s peace initiatives and human rights efforts in the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip, among other duties.
As the daughter of Iranian immigrants, Namdar practiced law in Dallas and wrote for “Project 2025” before her work with the Trump administration.
The law firm she started, Namdar Law PLLC, was active in Texas and Washington, DC, focusing on international and business law.
She announced last week that she would close her firm due to her new appointment.
During the Trump administration, she also served as interim assistant secretary of state for consular affairs.
The Daily Beast’s emphasis on her salon business raised concerns within the State Department.
The article highlighted her ownership of a mini-salon chain in Texas called “BAM.”
“Assistant Secretary Maura Namdar is a skilled lawyer, business leader, and government official,” Piggott added.
“Americans can take pride in patriotic public servants like her who step up to serve our nation and promote our national interests.”
The Post has reached out to The Daily Beast for a statement.
The media has had frequent confrontations with the Trump administration.
Last summer, the publication had to retract and apologize for a story linking the late Jeffrey Epstein with first lady Melania Trump during a presidential meeting, which led to legal threats from Melania’s team.
