U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who had stirred controversy over the so-called 'Signal Gate,' and appointed him as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The vacant national security advisor position will be temporarily held by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On the 1st (local time), President Trump stated on social media that he would appoint Waltz as the next U.N. ambassador. Trump said, "Waltz has worked hard to prioritize our national interests, whether on the battlefield in uniform, in Congress, or as my national security advisor. I know he will do the same in his new role."
He added, "Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, will temporarily take over as national security advisor while continuing strong leadership at the State Department."
This is the first major cabinet change since Trump took office on January 20. Potential successors to Waltz include Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy; Stephen Miller, Deputy Assistant to the President for Policy; and Sebastian Gorka, Deputy National Security Council advisor.
Waltz, the first national security advisor of the Trump administration's second term, sparked a controversy over a leak of classified information through a group chat on the private messenger 'Signal' in March. He discussed plans for airstrikes against the Iran-aligned Yemeni rebel group, the Houthis, with key figures in the government's foreign and security lines in the chat room, which became public after he accidentally invited a journalist.
The Democratic Party immediately called for his dismissal, but as President Trump expressed continued confidence in Waltz, discussions about his future seemed to settle. However, later, Waltz reportedly lost influence within the White House and failed to regain the trust of his aides, according to CNN.
It is analyzed that while President Trump hesitated to dismiss Waltz at the time of the Signal Gate, fearing it would appear as yielding to outside pressure, enough time has now passed for him to make the replacement decision.
There were also evaluations that Waltz did not get along well with other presidential staff. Axios reported that Waltz showed a dismissive attitude toward Suzy Wiles, the influential White House Chief of Staff. President Trump had previously referred to Wiles as "the most powerful woman in the world."
A White House official said, "He treated her like a staff member without realizing that he was the staff and she was the Hwashin of the President."