Trump replaces Mike Waltz with Marco Rubio as national security adviser

In a significant shake-up of his administration, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Mike Waltz will be removed from his position as national security adviser and nominated to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. This marks the first major personnel change in Trump’s second term.

The move follows speculation that both Waltz and Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong were being sidelined. Trump confirmed the change through a post on his social media platform Truth Social, praising Waltz for prioritizing national interests and expressing confidence in his future role at the UN.

To replace Waltz, Trump has selected Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will now serve concurrently as national security adviser. Trump stated the pair would work together to restore global and domestic security.

Waltz’s departure comes amid controversy over a private Signal chat where sensitive military information was reportedly shared. The incident involved journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, who was mistakenly added to the chat group where top officials discussed details of a bombing campaign in Yemen. Waltz accepted responsibility for the mishap, calling it an unintentional error.

Despite the scandal, Trump had previously defended Waltz and included him in his team for a second term. Waltz, a former Green Beret and congressman from Florida, had supported Trump’s "America First" foreign policy agenda. However, his more aggressive foreign policy stance and ties to past Republican administrations drew criticism from hardline Trump supporters, including social media commentator Laura Loomer.

Waltz will now face a Senate confirmation process, which is likely to scrutinize his involvement in the so-called "Signalgate" affair. The ambassador role became vacant after Trump withdrew his nomination of Representative Elise Stefanik, citing political considerations.

Waltz acknowledged the new assignment with a brief statement on social media, expressing honor at continuing to serve under Trump’s leadership.