How Waltz became a key messenger in Trump's war
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Ambassador Mike Waltz speaks at the UN earlier this month. Photo: Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images
From the United Nations to the Sunday news shows, Ambassador Mike Waltz has emerged as a key player in advancing the White House's Iran war policy.
Why it matters: Waltz is one of the few administration officials with a military background, a depth of understanding of foreign affairs and a temperament suited for mainstream media interviews.
- "Everyone around here can go on Fox, no problem," one senior administration official told Axios. "Mike can go on CNN or ABC and deliver what we need. And not everyone wants to do that."
- On Sunday, Waltz appeared on ABC's "This Week," CBS's "Face the Nation" and NBC's "Meet The Press."
The big picture: Waltz's high-profile role marks a return for the ex-National Security Adviser who was moved to the UN last year after taking "full responsibility" for "Signalgate," in which a journalist was added to a group chat of senior officials discussing a strike on Yemen.
Zoom in: Since then Waltz's stock has risen in the White House, as he's confronted his Iranian counterpart at the United Nations and helped deliver a string of Security Council wins for the Trump administration. Those actions by the council have included:
- Last month's condemnation of Iran's "egregious attacks" on its Persian Gulf neighbors.
- The "snapback" sanctions imposed on Iran last year.
- The endorsement of Trump's Gaza peace plan last year.
Waltz also snagged headlines for partnering with singer Nicki Minaj to highlight Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Zoom out: Waltz, a former Florida congressman and Green Beret, is a longtime proponent of confronting Iran militarily for its role in destabilizing the Middle East.
- That hawkish posture made Waltz an early target of the anti-interventionist faction of Trump's coalition that wanted to minimize military conflicts overseas.
Inside the room: On March 1, the day after Trump launched the war in Iran, Waltz had a heated exchange at the UN with his Iranian counterpart, Saeid Iravani, who'd suggested Waltz was impolite.
- Waltz snapped back: "I'm not going to dignify this with another response, especially as this representative sits here in this body representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply for wanting freedom from your tyranny."
- Trump loved what he saw, a presidential adviser said.
- "Mike kicked his ass," the adviser said. "That's what the president wants."
