President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to be his ambassador to the United Nations after reports that the top official would be departing his role this week.
Trump also wrote that in Waltz’s absence from his national security role, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim National Security Advisor. Ahead of Trump’s post, it was reported that Waltz would soon depart as National Security Advisor after the president and top aides had grown frustrated with his tenure. (RELATED: Trump Admin Intel Officials Say No Classified Information Was Leaked In Signal Messages)
“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,” Trump wrote.
“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!” the social media post continues.
Waltz originally came under fire after The Atlantic published a story revealing that its editor-in-chief and longtime Trump rival had been accidentally added into a text group chat dedicated to discussing pending strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The president expressed support for Waltz at the time, but since then the former National Security Advisor has been on shaky ground with the president, sources told CNN.
Despite his best efforts to fight for his job this week, Waltz’s standing with the president and top aides never recovered, sources told CNN.
After “Signalgate,” several members of the National Security Council were ousted. Activist Laura Loomer had visited the Oval Office before the firings and presented Trump with research she had on staffers indicating they were not loyal to the president, Axios first reported.
Waltz also struggled to get along with other White House staff, Axios reported, and Vice President JD Vance had previously counseled him on “working more collaboratively.”
“He treated [Chief of Staff Susie Wiles] like staff and didn’t realize he’s the staff, she’s the embodiment of the president,” one official told Axios. “Susie is a deeply loyal person and the disrespect was made all the worse because it was disloyal.”
But trouble may have been brewing for Waltz even before “Signalgate,” as sources told Semafor that Waltz’s traditionally hawkish views on national security caused tension between officials with non-interventionist view points.
“President Trump lost confidence in him a while ago,” once source told CNN.
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