Colonel Nathan McCormack, a high-ranking U.S. Army officer assigned to advise the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Middle East affairs, has been removed from his position following the revelation of a series of anti-Israel social media posts.
His removal highlights the growing concern within the Department of Defense (DoD) over personal political expression by military personnel on digital platforms, especially when it appears to contradict U.S. foreign policy and compromises operational integrity.
McCormack, who served as Levant and Egypt Branch Chief within the J5 strategic planning directorate, was responsible for shaping senior-level U.S. military planning and diplomatic strategy involving Israel and the broader Middle East.
His role included briefing top military leadership and participating in engagements with foreign defense partners, including Israeli officials.
His LinkedIn profile indicated he took on this role in June 2024, but his now-deleted semi-anonymous “Nate” account on X (formerly Twitter) had already become a vessel for deeply controversial and inflammatory statements targeting Israel and its leadership.
Among McCormack’s posts were assertions that:
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Israel is a “death cult”
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are “Judeo-supremacist cronies”
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The U.S. may be “Israel’s proxy” and is receiving “nothing” from the alliance except global enmity
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Israel’s military action is disproportionate and designed to target Palestinian civilians
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The Israeli government is aiming to “cleanse ‘Eretz Israel’ of ethnic Palestinians”
He also shared classified-leaning observations, including details about briefings with Israeli Defense Forces and statements about U.S. warnings to Israel regarding operations in Lebanon, going so far as to claim the Israelis would be “fuxked” if they escalated conflict — a vulgarity that raised serious professional and ethical questions.
A DoD official confirmed to The Daily Wire that McCormack was immediately removed from his post upon discovery of the social media activity. The matter has now been referred to the U.S. Army for further disciplinary review.
The Pentagon’s social media policy specifically warns service members against using official titles or affiliations in ways that suggest endorsement of personal opinions. McCormack violated these guidelines, having posted about his role, displayed his Meritorious Service Medal certificate, and shared information about official duties and travel changes.
