US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is expected to step down from his role, a source familiar with the decision told Al Arabiya English on Thursday.
Waltz, a former congressman and one of President Donald Trump’s first cabinet picks, has been battling to keep his job after a journalist was added to a group chat where senior US officials were discussing plans to attack Yemen’s Houthis.
Although calls for him to resign mounted, Trump and the White House stood firm in defending him. However, over the last few days, several Trump administration officials have expressed doubts about Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong.
Some reports have indicated that Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who has also taken the lead on Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks, is being considered to replace Waltz. Witkoff had no political or military experience before his role as special envoy. Waltz was a congressman representing Florida from 2019 until earlier this year when he became Trump’s top national security aide. Before that, he held roles in the Bush administration. Waltz is also a decorated Army veteran, having earned four Bronze Stars.
While Waltz was ultimately blamed for accidentally adding the journalist in what has become known as Signalgate, observers have suggested that his stances on China, Iran and Russia were at odds with Trump’s hopes of reaching a new trade deal with Beijing, a nuclear agreement with Iran, and brokering a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Some Trump loyalists have coined Waltz as one of the few neoconservatives in the administration, a reference used against those with more hawkish views.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also been heavily scrutinized for his involvement in the Signal chat, revealing highly sensitive information, in some cases classified, over the unsecured messaging platform. Hegseth has also reportedly circumvented security protocols inside the Pentagon while sharing classified information with his wife and personal attorney.
Al Arabiya
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