Jacob Ogles
Michael Waltz, a key figure on President Donald Trump’s foreign policy team, will step down as Trump’s National Security Adviser just a few months after taking that role.
Washington journalist Mark Halperin first reported the likely departure of Waltz and Deputy National Security Adviser Alex Wong on his 2WAY video channel. White House sources then confirmed to Florida Politics that Waltz’s exit would be “imminent” before other outlets confirmed that Waltz would be out as soon as Thursday.
Just over 100 days into Trump’s presidency, Waltz became one of the first casualties of a scandal within the administration. In March, Waltz added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal chat updating key administration figures on an impending strike on the Houthis. The chat included top-level administration members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Waltz’s use of emoticons to celebrate the attack’s completion drew particular ridicule. Administration officials initially denied that classified intelligence was shared. Waltz in a Fox News interview took responsibility for including a journalist in the conversation, but said he did not know Goldberg and was investigating how the contact was “sucked” into his phone.
The Atlantic later released an unedited transcript of the Signal chat, which clearly showed Waltz added Goldberg to the chat.
But Halperin reported that unhappiness with Waltz’s performance at National Security Adviser preceded the Signal scandal. Waltz’s departure, Halperin said, will take place at the same time many employees of the National Security Council will be dismissed.
“There’s lots of levels of unhappiness and it’s less about Signalgate than it is about, as I understand it from my sources, a general belief that it’s not being run efficiently in an organized way,” Halperin said.
Waltz was one of several Florida leaders who joined Trump’s administration after his election in November. The St. Augustine Beach Republican resigned his seat in Congress representing Florida’s 6th Congressional District, where he first won election in 2018.
A Special Election was held this month to replace Waltz, and U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican, now holds the seat.
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Florida Politics publisher Peter Schorsch contributed to this report
10 comments
Foghorn Leghorn
May 1, 2025 at 11:43 am
What the hell was Waltz thinking inviting Trump hating Jeff Goldberg to the chat? He should be fired for stupidity.
Bill
May 1, 2025 at 2:24 pm
He was. The better question is how did he manage to have his contact info to actually invite him to a chat? They should fire his drunk assed idiot buddy Hegseth as well but that will be next weeks episode.
Clown show continues
May 1, 2025 at 11:55 am
If he decides he like his old job back, Fine’s life will be very interesting next year!
ScienceBLVR
May 1, 2025 at 12:08 pm
“Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Trump’s Cabinet ; but I repeat myself…”
-Mr. Clemens with a slight adjustment for modern day-
PeterH
May 1, 2025 at 12:14 pm
National Stupid Advisor Fired. The underside of this administration’s clown bus won’t be a lonely place for long! Mike will have plenty of company.
Foghorn Leghorn
May 1, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Trump fired the idiot. Biden kept on the morons that planned the Afghanistan withdrawal. Millie Vanillie and Austin should have been fired after that debacle. Plenty of other boobs in that god awful administration that should have been shown the door. Then again Biden was lost in space for four years.
Along for the Ride
May 1, 2025 at 2:11 pm
Didn’t Trump plan the withdrawal as well?
George
May 1, 2025 at 1:10 pm
The buck ALWAYS stops before Trump’s desk.
Foghorn Leghorn
May 1, 2025 at 1:15 pm
He is the head man and took action unlike the previous idiot that was in that position
Larry Gillis, Director-at-Large, Libertarian Party of Florida
May 1, 2025 at 1:32 pm
SCREW UP AND YOU’RE OUT. THEN, THEY’LL SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.
It is inconceivable that Waltz did this on his own or on purpose. Some underling was tasked with “populating” this meeting and he/she mistakenly blended in the “invite list” from somewhere else. Nonetheless, Waltz takes the hit.
They shoudda just fired Waltz for this. The gratuitous add-ons we see here were typical of this administration. (” … it’s less about Signalgate than it is about, as I understand it from my sources, a general belief that it’s not being run efficiently in an organized way,” Halperin said. …”).
Vote Libertarian. We, after all, are The Children of Light.