Trump Boots Out Mike Waltz: A Messy SignalGate Exit
Trump Dismisses U.S. National Security Advisor for Accusations of Unauthorized Disclosure of Classified Details
In a shakeup that’s sending shockwaves through the White House, President Trump has yanked National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, from his post following the embarrassing "SignalGate" scandal. This incident, where a journalist was accidentally included in a sensitive Signal group chat discussing classified military plans, has become the talk of the town. The Daily Mail reports that this move marks Trump's first big dismissal of his second term.
The unfortunate mix-up involved The Atlantic editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, being part of a group chat that included 17 senior U.S. officials. These discussions, centered around military strategies targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen, ended up in the public domain when Goldberg published the chat's contents. This revelation has caused quite the stir, raising security concerns and inciting media frenzy.
Sources close to the situation told the Daily Mail that Waltz’s departure was long overdue. His deputy, Alex Wong, seems to be in the hot seat as well, facing heat for his role in the debacle.
Veteran journalist Mark Halperin stated on his 2Way YouTube show that the issue isn't about ideology but competence. In other words, folks within the national security establishment are not too happy with the way things have been managed.
Despite maintaining his position for a few weeks after the blunder, Waltz's credibility took a heavy hit. In a desperate bid to change the focus, Waltz highlighted foreign policy achievements on Fox & Friends, praising a new minerals deal with Ukraine as a win for the American taxpayer. However, during a separate interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News, he stumbled when explaining how Goldberg ended up in the group chat in the first place.
The President was initially hesitant to pull the trigger on Waltz, allegedly to deny Goldberg the pleasure of a political win. But Trump, speaking to The Atlantic, seemed less than impressed with his advisor: "Waltz is fine. I mean, he’s here. He just left this office. He’s fine. He was beat up also."
With the administration in a state of flux, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy and an associate who has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is being eyed as a likely replacement. Keep your eyes peeled for that official announcement from the White House.
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Enrichment Insights:
Donald Trump's reported dismissal of National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and the linked departure of Alex Wong follows months of internal scrutiny over Waltz's mishandling of sensitive operational details. The “Signal chat incident” in March 2025, where Waltz inadvertently included a journalist in discussions about Houthi-targeted strikes in Yemen, became a focal point of criticism. Although Trump initially defended Waltz as a "good man" who "learned a lesson," the administration later framed the departure as part of a broader NSC reorganization.
Reactions included internal debates among White House officials about whether Waltz should resign voluntarily. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau was reportedly unaware of the decision until after it became public, highlighting communication gaps. Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, has since engaged NSC staff about restructuring plans.
Potential replacements remain unspecified in available reporting, though Trump has suggested Waltz could become ambassador to the U.N. The administration’s emphasis on reorganization, rather than punitive action, suggests a strategic effort to avoid perceptions of bowing to external pressure over the security breach.
- The dismissal of Michael Waltz, National Security Adviser, by President Trump, following the "SignalGate" scandal, has sparked a reorganization within the National Security Council.
- In a bid to fill the vacancy left by Waltz, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy who has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is being eyed as a potential replacement.
- The "SignalGate" incident, where a journalist was accidentally included in a sensitive Signal group chat discussing classified military plans, has raised security concerns and led to the first big dismissal of Trump's second term.
- Veteran journalist Mark Halperin stated that the issue isn't about ideology but competence, implying that folks within the national security establishment are not too happy with the way things have been managed.
- Other headlines in politics and general news include Trump hinting at a possible successor to Pope Francis, security agencies preparing to unveil Tinubu's US investigation reports, and diplomats gathering for a discussion on Trump's trade policies at the BRICS meeting.
