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United States President Donald Trump has ousted his national security adviser Mike Waltz and named secretary of state Marco Rubio as his interim replacement in the first major shake-up of Trump’s inner circle since he took office in January.
Trump, in a social media post, said he would be nominating Waltz to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations, adding “he has worked hard to put our nation’s interests first”.
Earlier in the day, sources said Trump had decided to remove Waltz from his White House position.
Trump’s selection of Rubio to replace Waltz temporarily will be the first time since Henry Kissinger in the 1970s that one person held both the positions of secretary of state and national security adviser.
Alex Wong, who served as the deputy to Waltz and is known for his expertise in Asia, is departing from his position. Wong, who previously played a significant role in the State Department focusing on North Korea during Trump’s initial term, was confirmed to be leaving by two individuals with knowledge of the situation, as reported by Reuters.
Fallout from Signal chat scandal continues
Waltz, a 51-year-old former Republican politician from Florida, faced criticism inside the White House when he was caught up in a March scandal involving a Signal chat among top Trump national security aides.
The national security adviser is a powerful role that does not require Senate confirmation.
The National Security Council, which plays a critical role in synthesizing security strategies for the President, frequently has its team make essential decisions about how the United States engages with some of the globe’s most unpredictable disputes.
Waltz was blamed for accidentally adding the editor of The Atlantic magazine to a private thread describing details of an imminent .
The Atlantic reported on the mishap.
At a subsequent cabinet meeting with Waltz in the room, Trump expressed his preference for holding such conversations in a secure setting, a clear sign of his displeasure.
But he and others in the White House expressed confidence in Waltz at the time.
Waltz also attended Trump’s televised cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Democrats who were outraged about the Signal scandal welcomed the news about Waltz.
Democratic senator Adam Schiff said: “About time.”
Waltz too hawkish for Trump, says source
The Signal controversy was not the only mark against Waltz, sources said.
A person familiar with the cabinet’s internal dynamics said Waltz was too hawkish for the war-averse Trump and was seen as not effectively coordinating foreign policy among various agencies, a key role for the national security adviser.
“The system isn’t running properly” under Waltz, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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