Trump Shakes Up Team, Moves Waltz From National Security Council to UN Role [WATCH]

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that former national security advisor Mike Waltz will serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, just hours after Waltz departed his position at the National Security Council.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“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.”

“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.”

President Trump has officially nominated Mike Waltz as UN ambassador after ousting him as National Security Advisor. pic.twitter.com/OZAE4qMYBI

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 1, 2025

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Trump also revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim National Security Advisor while continuing his role at the State Department.

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The decision mirrors a move made by former President Richard Nixon in 1973, when Henry Kissinger served simultaneously as national security advisor and secretary of state.

Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Waltz posted on X that he was “deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”

I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation. pic.twitter.com/FFTPjnIYkI

— Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) May 1, 2025

Waltz’s appointment to the U.N. post comes amid one of the most high-profile staff shakeups of Trump’s second term.

Several National Security Council officials were removed from their roles on Thursday.

The exit follows weeks of speculation about Waltz’s future within the administration following a controversial chat leak earlier this year.

In March, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic was accidentally included in a private Signal chat that involved several senior administration officials, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

The group had been discussing military options against Houthi targets in Yemen.

While the administration stated that no classified information was exchanged, the incident raised concerns internally and drew public scrutiny.

The White House had maintained confidence in Waltz following the incident, but pressure surrounding the leak fueled ongoing questions about whether he would remain in his position.

Before Waltz’s selection, several candidates were under consideration for the ambassador role.

Representative Elise Stefanik of New York was initially announced as Trump’s nominee in November 2024, shortly after his reelection.

However, she withdrew from the nomination in March, citing concerns about the GOP’s slim House majority and a need to remain focused on New York state issues.

“It was a combination of the New York corruption that we’re seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin,” Stefanik told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

“I’ve been in the House. It’s tough to count these votes every day.”

Trump echoed her concerns in a statement on Truth Social, writing, “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day.”

As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress. We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning. I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest…

— Trump Posts on 𝕏 (@trump_repost) March 27, 2025

Other potential picks for the U.N. post included David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel; Ellie Cohanim, former deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism; and Richard Grenell, former acting director of national intelligence.

Grenell reportedly declined the role, stating he was a “hard no.”

During his first term, Trump appointed Nikki Haley and Kelly Craft as U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations.

In his current term, the president has continued to reduce U.S. involvement in various U.N. programs, including withdrawing from the U.N. Human Rights Council and ending funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

In February, Trump reiterated his skepticism of the U.N.’s effectiveness while signing an executive order limiting U.S. participation in certain U.N. programs.

“I’ve always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential,” Trump said at the time.

“It’s not being well-run… A lot of these conflicts that we’re working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. But we never seem to get help. That should be the primary purpose of the U.N.”

Waltz’s confirmation process for the ambassador post is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

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