Amid rising heat over the Signal-gate controversy, Mike Waltz was removed as US National Security Adviser and appointed as the United Nations ambassador by the Trump administration.
Vice President JD Vancelashed out at the media coverage of Mike Waltz’s ouster as the National Security Adviser and the following appointment as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations by President Donald Trump.
Vance said Waltz has rather been promoted and not ousted from the Trump administration, but the “media wants to frame this as a firing”.
“The media wants to frame this as a firing. Donald Trump has fired a lot of people. He doesn’t give them Senate-confirmed appointments afterwards,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News.
Vance also dismissed claims that Waltz’s reassignment was linked to his role in the Signal-gate controversy, where the former NSA allegedly added the editor of The Atlantic to a private messaging group involving senior officials who were discussing military plans targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“No, it’s not,” Vance responded.
Defending the move, the vice president added, “I think you could make a good argument it’s a promotion,” noting that Waltz had completed the mission he was tasked with by President Trump.
Mike Waltz Signla chats row
Waltz has faced increased scrutiny since the Signal-gate revelations, which exposed sensitive details of the US campaign in Yemen and led to embarrassment for the administration. The White House described the incident as a “mistake” but insisted it had caused no harm to American interests. Waltz has accepted full responsibility for the lapse. The Pentagon inspector general has launched an investigation into the use of the Signal app, with criticism coming from both Democrats and some Republicans.
Amid the reshuffle, President Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would temporarily take over Waltz’s responsibilities. Trump also confirmed Waltz’s nomination for the UN ambassador post, saying, “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first.”
Rubio’s additional responsibilities as the NSA come at a time when the administration is grappling with several foreign policy challenges, including ongoing negotiations to end the Ukraine war, talks with Iran over its nuclear programme, and rising global economic tensions following Trump’s trade disputes with key partners.