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In a move that underscores both a shakeup in his national security team and his enduring trust in key loyalists, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will nominate National Security Adviser Mike Waltz to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The announcement came just hours after reports confirmed Waltz would be stepping down from his role at the helm of the National Security Council (NSC), a tenure marred by the controversial Signal chat leak that revealed discussions of military strikes in Yemen to an unintended journalistic audience.
Trump’s decision to elevate Waltz to the prestigious U.N. post — which will now require Senate confirmation — was framed by Vice President JD Vance as a promotion, not a demotion. “He’s got the trust of both me and the president,” Vance told Fox News. “We thought he’d make a better UN ambassador as we get beyond this stage of the reforms to the NSC.”
Waltz, a former Green Beret and Florida congressman, is one of three ex-House members tapped for high-level administration roles during Trump’s second term. His short but turbulent stint as national security adviser placed him at the center of a controversy now dubbed “Signalgate.” In March, The Atlantic revealed that Waltz mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat where classified-like details about a planned U.S. strike on Houthi forces were being discussed.
While top officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe denied that classified data was compromised, the incident prompted bipartisan criticism. Trump, however, stood by Waltz throughout the fallout, calling him “a good man” and insisting he had “learned a lesson.”
Waltz’s nomination also fills a diplomatic gap left by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who was initially selected for the post but was withdrawn due to concerns about the GOP’s slim House majority. Trump had explained, “I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat.”
For now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will assume dual roles, stepping in as acting national security adviser — a move that recalls Henry Kissinger’s simultaneous tenure as Secretary of State and NSC head. “When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved,” Trump said from the Rose Garden Thursday.
Waltz will face Senate scrutiny for the first time in his new role, with Democrats expected to question him about Signalgate and his 100-day record as national security adviser. Still, many Senate Republicans came to his defense.
“He has a clear-eyed view of the world, both regarding our friends and our adversaries,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) posted online. “Mike understands America First and will be a strong voice at the UN representing our interests.”
It remains unclear whether Trump will designate the U.N. ambassadorship as a Cabinet-level post, as it would have been under Stefanik.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce was reportedly caught off guard by the nomination, learning of Waltz’s reassignment during a live press briefing. “I just heard this from you,” she responded.
Waltz expressed his gratitude shortly after the announcement. “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation,” he posted on X.
Waltz’s departure, along with that of his deputy Alex Wong, marks the first senior turnover of Trump’s second term, signaling ongoing restructuring within a national security team increasingly influenced by Trump-aligned activists like Laura Loomer.
