In the first major shake-up of his second term, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he’s replacing National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and nominating him to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, praising Waltz’s service and saying, “Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role.” The move comes after days of speculation and internal discussions about Waltz’s future within the administration.
Taking over the national security adviser role—at least temporarily—will be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who now juggles an extraordinary portfolio. Rubio is currently serving in four high-level positions: Secretary of State, National Security Adviser, National Archivist, and Acting Administrator of USAID.
Waltz acknowledged the shift on X (formerly Twitter), saying he was “deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”
Sources familiar with the matter said Waltz had been aware his time as national security adviser was ending, especially after losing influence within the White House. His standing took a hit following a misstep in which he mistakenly included a journalist in a group chat discussing classified military operations—a serious blunder that shook confidence among senior officials.
Though Trump initially chose not to fire Waltz over the incident, reportedly to avoid creating a sense of chaos early in his second term, the damage to Waltz’s credibility was never fully repaired. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles had privately expressed concerns about Waltz’s performance, even before the messaging mishap.
Adding to the internal pressure, far-right activist Laura Loomer lobbied Trump to remove several National Security Council staffers, accusing them of disloyalty. Loomer had also flagged concerns about Waltz to Trump directly, even attempting to show him a campaign ad from 2016 in which Waltz had criticized the then-candidate—only to be interrupted when Waltz himself walked into the room.
Loomer also targeted Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong due to his previous involvement with Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. Multiple sources say Wong and other senior national security officials are also expected to depart, although it’s unclear when those changes will occur.
Waltz’s nomination to the UN comes with its own hurdles. Senate confirmation could be a tough battle, especially since Trump has not made the UN ambassador role a top priority. His first pick, Rep. Elise Stefanik, remained in Congress due to the GOP’s razor-thin House majority, and Trump showed little urgency in finding a replacement until now.
With 100 days into his second term, Trump appears less concerned about the optics of turnover, signaling a willingness to shake up his team if he feels it’s necessary.
The news of Waltz’s removal was first reported by journalist Mark Halperin.
This News Originally appeared on www.edition.cnn.com
