Trump Shakes Up National Security Team Waltz Nominated as U.S. Ambassador to the UN

In a significant reshuffling of his national security team, President Donald Trump has nominated Mike Waltz, his current national security adviser, to serve as the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. The announcement, made via Truth Social on May 1, follows a controversial incident involving a leaked private discussion among senior officials about military plans in Yemen.

Waltz will exit his post just over 100 days into Trump’s second term. Taking over on an interim basis is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will now juggle both roles until a permanent replacement is named.

“From his time in uniform, in Congress, and now as National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz has always put America’s interests first,” Trump said in his statement. “I know he’ll do the same at the United Nations.”

Waltz’s departure comes in the wake of an embarrassing misstep dubbed “Signalgate,” after he accidentally invited journalist Jeffrey Goldberg into a private group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal. The chat included top officials such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Vice President JD Vance. According to Goldberg’s report, the group had been discussing detailed strike plans against Yemen’s Houthi militants.

Although Trump initially stood by Waltz, calling the leak an accident and not a disclosure of classified material, the internal damage appears to have been done. Behind closed doors, tensions reportedly mounted between the president and his national security chief.

Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong is also stepping down, marking the most significant staff turnover since Trump returned to office in January.

While Waltz had recently appeared on Fox News touting U.S. advancements in military tech, sources suggest Trump had been weighing replacements for weeks. One potential successor mentioned is Steve Witkoff, currently the president’s special envoy to the Middle East, who has been involved in talks between Russia and Ukraine.

This isn't the first time Trump has had to backtrack on high-profile appointments. Earlier in his term, he withdrew Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination for UN ambassador over fears of losing her congressional seat to Democrats. He also nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, though Gaetz withdrew amid bipartisan criticism and lingering ethical controversies.

The latest shake-up appears to reflect growing outside influence on Trump’s personnel decisions. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, a vocal critic of Waltz, recently met with the president in the Oval Office and later claimed she had prepared footage of Waltz criticizing Trump’s past remarks about military service members. Loomer also took credit on social media for encouraging the dismissal of other senior NSC staff.

“Hopefully the rest of the people promoted under Waltz also depart,” Loomer posted on X shortly after the announcement.

Waltz, for his part, had publicly accepted responsibility for the Signal chat leak, calling it an “embarrassing blunder” in an appearance on Fox News. Yet his departure underscores the ongoing volatility within Trump’s second-term inner circle.

With no permanent replacement yet confirmed and Rubio juggling dual responsibilities, the Trump administration enters a pivotal moment in both foreign policy and internal management—facing the challenge of restoring trust while navigating complex global tensions.