Trump ousts Waltz as national security adviser and nominates him for UN post
President Donald Trump has replaced National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, nominating him as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Trump praised Waltz’s service in a social media post, announcing that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily assume the role while continuing as the nation’s top diplomat. Waltz, a former Florida congressman, faced backlash for accidentally including a journalist in a chat discussing sensitive military plans, an issue likely to arise during his UN confirmation hearings. He is the first senior official to depart the White House in Trump’s second term.
“Mike Waltz has tirelessly prioritized our Nation’s interests, from his military service and time in Congress to his role as my National Security Advisor,” Trump stated on Truth Social. “I am confident he will excel in his new position.”
Waltz shared a brief statement on X, accompanied by a screenshot of Trump’s announcement. “I’m profoundly honored to continue serving President Trump and our great country,” he wrote.
Trump chose Waltz for the UN ambassador role just hours before the Thursday announcement.
Multiple sources told the network he was ousted because of the Signal situation and a perception in the White House that he did not properly vet National Security Council staff, among other reasons.
But the sources said Trump respects Waltz so he was given a soft landing and a high-profile new post.
However, Trump administration believed Waltz might struggle to be confirmed by the Senate, allowing the president to get rid of him completely without having to fire him.
"Waltz Under Fire for Including Journalist in Sensitive Military Chat"
Waltz faced criticism after admitting in March to mistakenly including Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a Signal group chat with senior US security officials, where confidential plans for a military strike on Yemen’s Houthis were discussed. The chat included Waltz, Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. On Thursday, the status of Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, a foreign policy expert from Trump’s first term and also part of the chat, remained uncertain. During a BBC Newsnight interview on Wednesday, Wong defended the administration’s actions against the Houthis, stating they were “very successful” under the president’s leadership.
In March, congressional hearings saw lawmakers questioning several Signal chat participants, including the directors of national intelligence and the CIA.
The UN ambassador role is still vacant. Trump retracted his initial nominee, Rep. Elise Stefanik, due to Republican worries about maintaining their narrow House majority.
On Thursday, Minnesota Governor and former Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz jokingly commented on the national security adviser’s departure, posting on X: “Mike Waltz has left the chat.”
A Reuters photographer captured an image at a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday, showing Waltz using Signal, with an ongoing chat with a contact labeled as JD Vance, the US vice-president. The message from Vance partially read: “I have confirmation from my counterpart it’s turned off. He is going to be here.”
In a Fox News interview Thursday evening, Vance dismissed claims that Waltz was fired, stating he was being promoted. “I like Mike,” Vance said. “He’s a great guy, trusted by both me and the president. But we thought he’d be better suited as UN ambassador moving forward.”
