On Thursday, President Donald Trump removed Mike Waltz as his major policy-making role, the National Security Adviser (NSA), and tapped Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take over his interim role.
Trump has announced that he has appointed Waltz as the next US ambassador to the United Nations. “Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our country’s interests first. He knows he will do the same in his new role,” he posted on his true social platform.
“We are deeply honored to continue our service to President Trump and our great nation,” Waltz posted X on Thursday.
The reallocation of high-ranking officials lies in the aftermath of the so-called “signal gate” incident and his tendency to aggressive military action against the Arch for Iran.
What was the main reason behind the removal of waltz?
Army veterans received intense criticism after creating groups on a signal messaging app with other senior officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses, to discuss military attack plans in Yemen.
The group’s chat was published after Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to the group. After Goldberg published an excerpt from the chat, Waltz said he took “full responsibility” for the mistake.
The scandal has both Waltz and Heggs fired fire and are skeptical of Trump’s national security team. Several Democrats called for their resignation shortly after the scandal.
While attending a cabinet meeting held by Trump last week, the waltz was filmed using a modified, less secure version of the signal to text-top officials.
He also confused Trump after engaging in “a fierce coordination” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the possibility of launching a military strike in Iran, according to the Washington Post.
As the Trump administration continues to pursue Oman-mediated consultations with Tehran, the Waltz reportedly irritated the president by adopting an increasingly hawk stance in favour of military aggression.
However, Netanyahu’s office denied Daily’s report, which claimed he had “intensive contact” with the waltz.
Additionally, it was reported that he had developed tensions with the White House chief Susie Wills.
Who else is Trump’s plunder?
Along with Waltz, the president has kicked out his agent, Alex Wong, and became the first senior White House official to be fired from President No. 2, according to US media reports.
Many inspectors, federal workers and senior military officials have also been fired, including Naval Operations Director Lisa Franchetti and Air Force Special Operations Commander James Sliff.
During his first term, Trump fired numerous senior officials, including FBI Director James Tillerson, Attorney General Jeff Session, Environmental Protection Administrator Scott Pruitt, and NSAS John Bolton and Michael Flynn.
Why are Magazine Supporters targeting waltz?
The Waltz fired fire from several people in support of Trump, mainly due to lack of loyalty to the President and differences in policy approach.
Former White House strategist and influential figure Steve Bannon criticized Waltz for his hawkish foreign policy stance, particularly his support for military intervention.
Laura Rumer, a far-right activist, highlighted the 2016 video. This led the Waltz to criticize Trump’s comments as a sign of dishonesty among military members.
She also accused Waltz of appointing staff with anti-Trump sentiment and targeted his deputy, Wong, who suspected ties with Chinese interests.
However, JD Vance supported him, arguing that his reallocation was not a relegation, but a strategic move that allowed Waltz to better serve the administration in his new diplomatic role.
What’s next for the waltz?
The Waltz must secure confirmation from the Senate and become a new U.S. envoy for the United Nations, which is expected to be a challenging path.
Waltz was a former Army Green Beret deployed in Afghanistan, and won the bronze star for his courage. He writes extensively about military strategy and is a strong supporter of national defense.
The Republican was also a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and worked as a counterterrorism advisor for the Pentagon during the George W. Bush administration.
However, the Signalgate controversy, he reported unauthorized communications with Israeli leaders, and that opposition by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee could work against him.
Who is the waltz alternative?
For now, Rubio is taking over as the NSA as no particular period has been announced.
Rubio, who himself is one of the most hawks in the White House, envisions more responsibility in a move aimed at integrating foreign policy leadership and streamlining decision-making processes.
This is the first time since the 1970s that the Secretary of State has acted as an NSA.
Trump has not confirmed any potential alternatives to future waltz, but Stephen Miller, Steve Witcoff and Rick Grenell are some of the top figures in his circle.
Miller is a senior policy and homeland security adviser known for his hard-hit immigration and foreign policy stance. Witkov serves as a special envoy and leads consultations with the Russian, Iranian and Palestinian group Hamas. Grenell is the acting director of national intelligence and a former ambassador to Germany.