A senior U.S. military official, McCormack, deleted his semi-anonymous X (formerly Twitter) account after controversial posts surfaced criticizing the U.S.-Israel relationship. McCormack held a key role within the J5 directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which advises the chairman on strategic military planning and national security. His responsibilities included preparing military leaders for engagements with partner nations, notably Israel. On his X account, using the alias “Nate,” he openly referenced his job and even shared his Meritorious Service Medal, indicating his high-level access and influence. Since taking on the role in June 2024, he posted frequently about Israel, especially in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on October 7.

McCormack’s posts drew attention for their strongly critical tone toward Israel and U.S. foreign policy. In April, he wrote that Western governments avoid criticizing Israel out of “Holocaust guilt.” In May, he accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his “Judeo-supremacist cronies” of intentionally prolonging the conflict for political gain. He also questioned the nature of the U.S.-Israel alliance, suggesting the U.S. may be acting as a proxy without fully realizing it. These comments sparked significant backlash, given his sensitive role in shaping defense strategy and diplomacy. The revelation of his identity and his abrupt account deletion signal potential fallout within military and diplomatic circles as the Pentagon assesses the implications of his public statements and their impact on U.S. partnerships and credibility.