Trump axes White House National Security Adviser Waltz after chat group scandal

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday replaced his National Security Advisor Mike Waltz following a scandal over a chat group leak, saying he would appoint him as ambassador to the United Nations instead.

In the first major cabinet shake-up of Trump's new term, the president said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would now also serve as his interim national security advisor following Waltz's departure.

"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation's Interests first," Trump said on Truth Social as he announced the move.

But the 51-year-old former special forces officer and Florida congressman had been living on borrowed time since the so-called "Signalgate" scandal broke in March.

The editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine revealed at the time that Waltz had mistakenly added him to a group chat about U.S. strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels on the commercial messaging app Signal.

"I'm deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation," Waltz said in a post on X.

Trump had repeatedly offered his backing in public, but behind the scenes Waltz was losing his confidence over Signalgate, while there were also tensions with other officials due to his hawkish stance on Russia and Iran.

His position was increasingly at odds with Trump's pivot towards Moscow as Washington pushed for Ukraine to reach a quick ceasefire deal, and as Trump reopened negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

Democrats will now turn up the heat on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who revealed timings that U.S. warplanes would take off to bomb targets in the same Signal chat. 

Hegseth was also reported to have shared those details in a separate Signal group chain that included his wife.

"Now do Hegseth," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer posted on X.

Trump has so far stood by Hegseth, a former Fox News contributor who has had a rocky first few months at the Pentagon, dismissing the Signal scandal as a "witch hunt."

Waltz's new role will also require Senate confirmation, ensuring that Signalgate will stay in the headlines.

U.S. media had reported that Steve Witkoff, a real estate magnate whom Trump has picked to lead U.S. talks with both Russia and Iran, is in contention to replace Waltz in the longer term.

The National Security Advisor's role has been held in the past by some of the most high-profile officials in U.S. history, including Henry Kissinger.

(With input from AFP)