President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, will leave their positions at the White House, according to multiple outlets.
Waltz, 51, has been mired in controversy for several weeks. He admitted responsibility for accidentally and unknowingly adding a reporter to the now-infamous Signal group chat in which senior officials debated whether to begin a military campaign in the Middle East.
“We are not going to respond to reporting from anonymous sources,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Washington Examiner.
It’s unclear who will fill the vacancy Waltz is leaving, which was first reported by journalist Mark Halperin, though one name he floated was Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Witkoff, who had been in real estate development prior to being tapped to join this administration, is leading the White House’s efforts to negotiate an end to the Israel-Hamas war, Iran’s nuclear program, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Witkoff has faced criticism himself, particularly for his approach to negotiating with the Kremlin. He has been accused of echoing Kremlin talking points. He also reportedly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, relying on Kremlin translators.
“Nice guy, but a bumbling f***ing idiot,” an anonymous member of Trump’s first administration told the New York Post.
Waltz, the former Florida congressman, is the first major Trump administration official to be moved out of the administration. The move came amid a week of celebration from the administration designed to highlight all the achievements of the first 100 days of Trump’s second term.
Trump did not fire anyone involved in the Signal group chat when it was first reported, standing behind Waltz, who accepted responsibility for adding Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who shared sensitive details of an impending military operation in the group chat.
In early April, Trump fired multiple staffers on his National Security Council shortly after he met with investigative journalist Laura Loomer in the Oval Office in the aftermath of the Signal reports. Following the Signal group chat leak, Loomer “exposed” several Trump administration staffers for alleged disloyalty and ties to foreign adversaries on X. Wong was among those she posted about.
“Laura Loomer is a very good patriot,” Trump said at the time. “She’s a very strong person, and I saw her yesterday for a little while. She makes recommendations of names of people, and sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody. I listen to everybody, and then I make a decision.”
When pressed on whether Loomer had “anything to do with the NSC aides who were ousted,” Trump replied, “No, not at all.”
Loomer had publicly called for Trump to fire Waltz and Wong and took a victory lap on social media on Thursday.
“SCALP,” she posted on social media. “VETTING MATTERS. Don’t ever forget that.”
PETE HEGSETH SIGNAL GROUP CHAT (PART 2): WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General is investigating Hegseth’s Signal use. It’s been reported that he shared those details in another group chat, including his brother, wife, and personal attorney.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
