US President Donald Trump says his national security adviser Mike Waltz is leaving. Trump plans to nominate Waltz as the next US ambassador to the United Nations.
Trump’s Announcement
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social. He praised Waltz for his work as a soldier, congressman, and national security adviser. Trump said Waltz has worked hard for the country’s benefit and will do the same in his new role.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will temporarily take over as national security adviser. Trump said Pompeo will continue to lead the State Department while serving in this temporary role.
Waltz’s Reaction
Waltz posted on social media that he’s honored to continue serving Trump and the US.
Background
US media reported that Waltz was stepping down, along with his deputy Alex Wong. This news comes weeks after Waltz admitted creating a Signal chat group. The group included senior US officials discussing plans to attack Yemen.
Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to the group. He saw sensitive information about the planned attack, including the weapons, targets, and timing. The plans were revealed two hours before they were set to happen.
Initially, Waltz told Fox News he didn’t know how Goldberg got into the group. He took responsibility for creating it. Trump downplayed the incident but later said he would investigate.
The BBC reported on these developments.