President Donald Trump on Thursday removed his National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, following a group chat leak scandal that raised serious security concerns within the administration.
Waltz, a former congressman and special forces officer, has now been nominated by Trump to serve as the United States ambassador to the United Nations—a position that still requires Senate confirmation.
This marks the first major shake-up in Trump’s second term. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also oversee national security matters, stepping in as acting National Security Advisor.
Trump praised Waltz for his service on Truth Social, saying, “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first.”
Waltz’s removal comes in the aftermath of the “Signalgate” scandal, which erupted in March after it was revealed that he mistakenly added a journalist to a Signal group chat discussing sensitive US military operations in Yemen. The blunder led to mounting pressure, despite Trump’s initial show of support.
There were also growing internal disagreements between Waltz and other senior officials, particularly over his hardline positions on Russia and Iran—stances increasingly at odds with Trump’s recent diplomatic overtures toward both countries.
Although Waltz had publicly expressed confidence in his role as recently as Wednesday, even appearing on Fox News to praise the administration, he was officially out by Thursday.
Meanwhile, Democrats have intensified scrutiny on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also implicated in the leak. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, in a post on X, called for Hegseth to face consequences, writing simply: “Now do Hegseth.”
Trump has continued to defend Hegseth, dismissing the incident as part of a “witch hunt.”
The controversy has drawn renewed attention to far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has reportedly influenced Trump’s decisions on staffing. Loomer, known for pushing conspiracy theories, took credit for Waltz’s dismissal in a post that simply read: “SCALP.”
Reports suggest Steve Witkoff, a close Trump ally and real estate figure, may be under consideration to permanently fill the role of National Security Advisor.
Waltz’s departure ends a tenure of just over 100 days and adds another chapter to the turbulent nature of high-level appointments in the Trump administration.
