The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has removed Mike Waltz from his position as national security adviser and announced his nomination for the next US Ambassador to the United Nations.
In a social media update, Mr. Trump mentioned that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will assume the role of interim national security adviser.
According to four individuals familiar with the situation, as reported by Reuters, Mr. Waltz is being ousted from his position.
Both Mr. Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, are reportedly stepping down, as noted by CBS News, while Fox News indicated that Mr. Trump is expected to address the situation shortly.
A 51-year-old former Republican official from Florida, Mr. Waltz encountered criticism within the White House after being implicated in a March controversy involving a Signal chat among top national security aides of Trump.
While it remains uncertain who will succeed Mr. Waltz, one potential candidate is US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been engaged in diplomacy concerning both Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East, according to one source.
Mike Waltz faced scrutiny after being involved in a scandal regarding a Signal chat.
The National Security Council did not promptly respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Waltz was criticized for inadvertently including the editor of The Atlantic magazine in a private thread detailing an imminent US bombing operation in Yemen. The Atlantic reported on this incident.
During a subsequent cabinet meeting while Mr. Waltz was present, Mr. Trump conveyed his preference for conducting such discussions in a secure environment with lead walls, indicating his discontent. Nevertheless, he and others in the White House initially expressed trust in Mr. Waltz.
However, the Signal controversy was not the sole issue facing Mr. Waltz.
According to a source familiar with the cabinet’s internal dynamics, Mr. Waltz was regarded as too hawkish for the war-averse Mr. Trump and was perceived as ineffective in coordinating foreign policy across various agencies, which is a crucial responsibility of the national security adviser.
“The system isn’t functioning properly,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
Mr. Wong is an expert in Asia who formerly served as a State Department official focused on North Korea during Mr. Trump’s first term.
The national security adviser holds significant power but does not require Senate confirmation.
