U.S. President Donald Trump has removed his National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his interim replacement. This marks the first major shake-up in Trump’s inner circle since he began his second presidential term in January.
Trump announced the move on social media, stating that he intends to nominate Waltz as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, adding, “He has worked tirelessly to put our nation’s interests first.”
With this appointment, Secretary Rubio becomes the first person to hold both roles simultaneously since Henry Kissinger, who served as both Secretary of State and National Security Advisor during the 1970s.
“When I’ve got a problem, I call Marco. He fixes it,” Trump said Thursday at the White House.
Rumors about Waltz’s departure had circulated for weeks, especially after he created a group chat on Signal and mistakenly added a journalist. The group reportedly involved top U.S. national security officials sharing sensitive military plans. The editor of The Atlantic later reported on the discussions, including details about an American strike in Yemen.
The position of National Security Advisor does not require Senate confirmation. During his first presidential term, Trump had four different national security advisors: Michael Flynn, H.R. McMaster, John Bolton, and Robert O’Brien.
Waltz’s removal comes amid broader personnel shifts within the U.S. national security apparatus. Since April 1st, at least 20 staff members from the National Security Council (NSC) have left their posts, including the director of the National Security Agency and three politically appointed officials at the Pentagon.
The NSC is the president’s key body for coordinating national security strategy, and its staff typically plays a critical role in shaping U.S. responses to global conflicts.
