US President Donald Trump dismissed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio as interim replacement while nominating Waltz to serve as ambassador to the United Nations, Reuters reported.
The move, announced via social media on 1 May 2025, marks the first major personnel shift in Trump’s second term and underscores deepening turmoil within his national security apparatus.
Waltz’s removal follows a March controversy in which he inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat discussing plans for US airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The breach, which revealed operational details hours before the strikes, triggered bipartisan scrutiny and exposed lax communication protocols among top officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance.
Trump initially defended Waltz, calling the incident a “lesson learned,” but pressure mounted as figures like conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer lobbied for purges of perceived disloyal staff. Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, a North Korea expert, was also ousted, compounding concerns over expertise depletion in the National Security Council (NSC).
Leadership shake-up and Signal scandal fallout
Rubio’s dual role as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser – a first since Henry Kissinger in the 1970s – signals Trump’s preference for consolidated loyalty over bureaucratic orthodoxy. “When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved,” Trump declared on Thursday, though the abrupt transition left State Department spokespersons scrambling to address media queries.
The Waltz ouster caps a month-long purge within the NSC, with over 20 staffers fired since April. The dismissals, reportedly instigated by Loomer’s “disloyalty” list, targeted senior directors overseeing intelligence, technology, and legislative affairs.
Waltz’s nomination to the UN – requiring Senate confirmation – offers a “soft landing” but risks contentious hearings over the Signal debacle. Democrats, including Senator Chris Coons, have vowed rigorous scrutiny, while Republicans face pressure to expedite the process amid Trump’s 100-day milestone push.
