Vice President JD Vance has offered a candid explanation for why Mike Waltz is no longer serving as National Security Adviser.
Waltz, a former congressman representing Florida’s sixth congressional district, was among Donald Trump’s earliest appointments following his victory in the 2024 presidential election. His tenure as National Security Adviser, however, came to an end just after Trump marked his 100th day back in office.
On May 1, President Trump announced that Waltz would transition from his current post to become the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
“From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress, and as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our nation’s interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role,” Trump shared in a statement on Truth Social.
Vice President Vance has since addressed the change, offering his perspective on the decision.
Some say fired, some say moved on (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The news of Mike Waltz stepping down as National Security Advisor comes in the wake of his connection to a major security breach, in which a journalist from The Atlantic was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat where classified U.S. military plans for potential strikes in Yemen were being discussed.
In response to the incident, Waltz told Fox News: “I take full responsibility. I built the group. It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”
Despite calls for accountability, former President Trump defended Waltz at the time, choosing not to dismiss him. However, sources told ABC News that tensions behind the scenes suggested the relationship was more strained than publicly acknowledged.
Senator JD Vance has since addressed Waltz’s departure, denying on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier that Waltz was “let go” due to the so-called “Signalgate” controversy. Instead, Vance framed the move as a step forward.
“If anything, you could make a good argument that it’s a promotion,” Vance said, noting that Waltz had been brought in to oversee significant reforms at the National Security Council—reforms he has now completed.
“I like Mike. I think he’s a great guy. He’s got the trust of both me and the president,” Vance added. “But we also thought he’d make a better UN ambassador as we move past this phase of NSC reform.”
He continued: “The media wants to frame this as a firing—Donald Trump has fired a lot of people, and he doesn’t give them Senate-confirmed appointments afterward. What he believes—and I agree—is that Mike Waltz can better serve the administration, and more importantly, the American people, in this new role.”
Waltz echoed the administration’s messaging in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”
Following Waltz’s exit, Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would serve as interim National Security Advisor until a permanent replacement is named.
