Trump Fires National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Appoints Marco Rubio as Interim Replacement
US President Donald Trump on Thursday removed National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and named Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his interim replacement, making Rubio the first person since Henry Kissinger to hold both roles simultaneously.
In a social media post, Trump said Waltz “has worked hard to put our nation’s interests first,” and announced his nomination to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations—a position that has been vacant since Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination was withdrawn earlier this year.
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The abrupt move comes amid mounting internal tensions within Trump’s national security team. Waltz, a retired Army Green Beret and former congressman, had faced growing criticism in the White House following a series of missteps, most notably his involvement in a March scandal involving the encrypted messaging app Signal. In that incident, Waltz reportedly added the editor of The Atlantic to a private chat discussing a classified bombing operation in Yemen—an error that led to an exposé on internal administration deliberations.
While the White House initially stood by Waltz, multiple sources said Trump had been privately displeased. At a cabinet meeting after the leak, Trump made a pointed comment about having sensitive discussions in secure settings, with Waltz seated at the table.
Rubio’s dual appointment comes as the Trump administration struggles with deepening turmoil in its national security apparatus. Since April 1, more than 20 National Security Council staffers have been dismissed, including Waltz’s deputy Alex Wong and three senior Pentagon officials. The director of the National Security Agency was also removed.
