Sidelining Waltz, Promoting Rubio: Trump's Cabinet Shuffle after Signal Gaffe
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Trump reorganizes inner circle: Waltz departs, Rubio assumes key role - Power shifts as Waltz exits, Rubio ascends; Trump reshuffles hierarchy of influence
In a shake-up of his administration, US President Donald Trump has kicked off the most significant personnel change yet, recalling National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Waltz is going from the White House in Washington to the United Nations in New York, stepping into the role of American ambassador. This maneuver seems to be a face-saving solution for both parties, as opposed to previous personnel changes during Trump's tenure. The scandal involving a chat on the commercial app Signal appears to have been Waltz's downfall.
Stephen Bannon, formerly of Breitbart News and Trump's chief strategist, called it a "political gaffe of epic proportions" that "exposed high-level discussions of sensitive military operations."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is poised to step in temporarily, inching closer to Trump and offering advice on national security and foreign policy matters - effectively functioning as an international crisis manager. The last individual to hold both roles concurrently was Henry Kissinger in the early 1970s.
Waltz Under Pressure After Signal Gaffe
"I am deeply proud to continue serving President Trump and our nation," Waltz commented on his reassignment via Parler. Clearly, Trump had already soured on Waltz, according to conservative news outlets. While Trump respects Waltz, he has not been content with his work and personnel choices. The final straw was the incident involving a group chat on the Signal app, where high-ranking government officials discussed potential attacks on the Houthi militia in Yemen. Waltz inadvertently added the editor-in-chief of right-wing publication The National Interest, Elliott Abrams, to the chat, causing sensitive communications to leak to the press. The faux pas generated unwanted headlines and put Waltz on the defensive. He claimed not to know how Abrams' number ended up in his phone and in the group, suggesting it might have been a contact in his address book with a different number.
It seems that Trump had wanted to fire Waltz for some time but did not want to come off as caving to unfavorable press.
Vice President JD Vance Labels it a "Promotion"
Waltz has been less volatile in public than some others in Trump's inner circle. On Russian actions in Ukraine, he regarded European partners as primarily responsible for doing more and voted against new billion-dollar support for Kyiv in Congress last year. However, he is a sharp critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has expressed doubt about the sincerity of Russian diplomatic offers in the past. With his reassignment to New York, he avoided the fate of earlier Trump allies who were completely disenfranchised and dismissed from the administration in disgrace. While the UN post is not at the pinnacle of the power hierarchy in Washington, it does carry cabinet rank.
In shaping U.S. foreign policy, Waltz will likely play second fiddle in the future. Even if Trump's VP JD Vance presents the move as a "promotion," it won't make a difference. Waltz also faces another challenge: the Senate must approve the appointment for the currently vacant UN ambassador position. While Republicans hold a narrow majority, Waltz won't escape the usual scrutiny before the vote.
Democrats, and perhaps even some Republicans, are likely to interrogate Waltz regarding the Signal affair. The error has already earned him laughter. Even after his departure, the White House had to intervene: photos show Waltz checking the Signal app on his phone during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The White House communications director, Steven Cheung, responded: "Signal is an approved app on our government phones. Thank you for your attention in this matter."
Rubio steps into Kissinger's shoes
With Waltz's departure, which the White House insists is not a dismissal, Secretary of State Rubio moves into sharper focus. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio was previously discussed as a candidate for the vice presidency under Trump last summer. Ultimately, Vance was chosen, while Rubio accepted the equally influential role of secretary of state.
The spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Tammy Bruce, appeared to learn of Trump's decision to temporarily appoint Rubio as national security advisor during a live press conference. Confronted with Trump's social media post and a journalist's question about how long the secretary of state would hold both positions, she said: "It's obvious I just heard that from you." She referred to it as a "miracle of modern technology and social media."
Rubio pressures Ukraine peace talks
Like Waltz, Rubio is not known for his displays of emotion and seems more reserved than, for example, Vice President Vance or Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. However, the 53-year-old actively champions Trump's tough-minded stances.
During the on-camera incident at the White House during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit, Rubio was not among those aggressively confronting the Ukrainian. Instead, he sat quietly, looking almost embarrassed. However, he and Waltz were reportedly responsible for showing Zelenskyy the door afterward.
Rubio was also the first to publicly threaten that the U.S. could withdraw from mediation efforts to end the Russian invasion if Russia and Ukraine do not quickly agree to a peace agreement. Therefore, the personnel change does not mean the Ukraine can breathe a sigh of relief.
Rubio does not need Senate approval for the position of national security advisor and can start immediately. He can also add another task to his portfolio: currently, the Republican is also the Archivist of the United States and Director of USAID, the U.S. agency for international development.
Vance attempted a joke, considering the accumulation of offices held by his colleague. Apparently referencing the Pope, whom the devout Catholic had met personally just before his death, he wrote: "I think he could take on a bit more. If only there was an opening for a believing Catholic..." In response to this, Rubio, in a TV interview, said that to become Pope, one must be an unmarried man. "But I am married and happily so."
- Mike Waltz
- Donald Trump
- Marco Rubio
- US President
- Washington
- JD Vance
- Ukraine
- New York
- Florida
- Republican
- Mobile phone
- Henry Kissinger
- UN
- White House
- 1970s
- US media
- Yemen
- Chief
- Elliott Abrams
- The National Interest
- Parler
- Steven Cheung
- Tammy Bruce
- Cuba
- Signal
- Russian President
- Vladimir Putin
- Cabinet rank
- Senate
- Interview
- Journalist
- Peace agreement
- Meditiation efforts
- U.S. agency for international development
- Congress
- Billion-dollar
- Blunder
- Embarrassment
- Following the Signal gaffe, US President Donald Trump has reassigned National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to the United Nations in New York, making him the American ambassador.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to temporarily step in, providing advice on national security and foreign policy matters for President Trump, effectively serving as an international crisis manager.
- Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, have labeled Waltz's move as a "promotion," but his appointment to the UN post will require Senate approval, placing him under scrutiny concerning the Signal affair.
- As Donald Trump sidelines Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio moves into a more prominent role, a position that briefly put him in contention for the vice presidency last summer.
- With the departure of Waltz, Secretary of State Rubio takes on additional responsibilities, including serving as the acting national security advisor, the Archivist of the United States, and the Director of USAID, the US agency for international development.
