Trump nominates ousted adviser Waltz as UN ambassador
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Waltz. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty
President Trump confirmed he was removing Mike Waltz as national security adviser on Thursday but added the surprise announcement that he would be nominating him for the vacant UN ambassador post.
Why it matters: Waltz's removal is a dramatic shake up in the White House and will likely lead to more firings or resignations inside the National Security Council.
- Trump announced that until a new national security adviser is appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also hold this job.
- The last person to serve as both national security adviser and Secretary of State at the same time was Henry Kissinger between 1973 and 1975.
The latest: Trump's announcement caught many administration officials by surprise.
- State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce learned about the decision from a reporter's question while standing at the podium during a press briefing.
Driving the news: Trump's statement on Truth Social came after weeks of rumors that Waltz was about to be fired or to resign.
- His status inside the administration had diminished as a result of the "Signalgate" affair and friction with other members of Trump's team.
- Trump seems to have found a graceful way to remove Waltz.
- Instead of firing him, he nominated him to fill the vacancy left when he asked Rep. Elise Stefanik to withdraw her nomination for UN ambassador so as not to further shrink the slim GOP majority in the House.
The intrigue: Waltz's confirmation process could be contentious, given his role in Signalgate and other Trump administration controversies.
What he's 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. I know he will do the same in his new role," Trump wrote.
Go deeper: Why Trump's White House turned on Mike Waltz
