UPDATE: Waltz has been nominated to be the Ambassador to the United Nations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily serve as National Security Advisor while also leading the State Department.
"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump released on Truth Social Thursday.
***Original post***
Three weeks after inadvertently adding Atlantic reporter and long time Trump foe Jeffery Goldberg to a Signal group chat, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong have reportedly been removed from their positions. Others in the chat included Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and more.
Mike Waltz is out as National Security Adviser pic.twitter.com/NBj3tft2vU
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 1, 2025
The Atlantic published details of the chat, which included sensitive discussions about bombing Iranian backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Waltz admitted to accidentally adding Goldberg but maintained he didn't know how the number ended up in his contact list.
"The world found out shortly before 2 p.m. eastern time on March 15 that the United States was bombing Houthi targets across Yemen," Goldberg detailed. "I, however, knew two hours before the first bombs exploded that the attack might be coming. The reason I knew this is that Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, had texted me the war plan at 11:44 a.m. The plan included precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing."
President Donald Trump continues to stand by Secretary of Defense Hegseth and others who were in the discussion. Signal is a legal and approved way for government officials to communicate so long as the information shared is unclassified.
On Thursday morning, Waltz was still at the White House discussing the newly inked economic deal with Ukraine.
🚨NSA Mike Walz: “This deal is good for the American taxpayer that is recouping the billions of dollars that we've put into supporting Ukraine. It's good for Ukraine... in terms of its development and reconstruction — and it's good for its security...” pic.twitter.com/oQhUHnNRUS
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) May 1, 2025
Waltz left Congress in November upon being selected to serve as Trump's NSA. At the time he said the following:
I am deeply honored President Trump is placing his trust in me to serve in his Cabinet as National Security Advisor. There is no higher calling than defending our nation’s values, freedoms, and the safety of every American.
Together with President Trump and his team, we will confront the evolving challenges of today’s world and hold firm against those who would harm our way of life. Our nation deserves nothing less than bold, unwavering leadership, and that’s what he will deliver.
America will keep its allies close, we will not be afraid to confront our adversaries, and we will invest in the technologies that keep our country strong. America’s greatest strength is its booming economy and our energy dominance, and those tools will keep us out of wars and allow us to once again lead from a position of strength.
I fully believe that America’s best days are still ahead, and that with President Trump’s America First Agenda, we will secure our freedoms and forge a future where our nation remains the land of the free, and the land looked to for leadership and courage by the world.
To my constituents in Florida, thank you. It was an honor to fight for you in Washington and Florida will always be home.
This story has been updated with additional information.