Waltz in, Waltz out: House colleagues say he was ‘in way over his head’ at NSC
House colleagues call Waltz removal to U.N. post more fitting for former lawmaker
WASHINGTON _ House Republicans who served with outgoing National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said Thursday he was probably always better suited for the post of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
“Frankly, I think he’s better suited for that,” one senior GOP lawmaker told 24sight News, praising Waltz’s tenure in Congress. “Mike was in way over his head at NSC. He didn’t really have the broad expertise on issues.”
The whirlwind reshuffling of President Donald Trump’s national security team, which included the departure of NSC deputy Alex Wong, followed more than a month after the nascent administration was rocked by the “Signalgate” scandal in which Waltz accidentally included The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg in a group chat detailing sensitive military attack plans in Yemen.
Hours after news broke that Waltz was being ousted, Trump announced he would be nominating the former House Republican to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Waltz is slated to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), whose nomination was withdrawn over concerns about the GOP’s slim margins in the House.
Stefanik was recently reappointed to the leadership ranks, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) naming her chairwoman of House Republican Leadership after she stepped down to serve in the administration. She is also said to be considering a gubernatorial bid.
Waltz—a former Green Beret and House member—now faces Senate confirmation hearings, where “Signalgate” will inevitably resurface. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim NSC chief.
Initially, House Republicans said they did not expect Waltz to be removed from the NSC after “Signalgate”, but now said they believe he is well-equipped to serve in his new role, should he be confirmed.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) applauded Waltz’s nomination to the UN, stating, “He was a great colleague and we trusted him. He’ll be great at the UN.”
Florida GOP Rep. Kat Cammack was unequivocal: “Mike is a friend and a patriot. He will do an incredible job serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”
Ambassador to the United Nations is now a man who could not cut it in security—it says much about Trump’s opinion of the U.N. Take this fool who’s pretending to be second choice: Replacing the Replacement Theory diva.