President Donald Trump on May 1 announced that he was naming White House national security adviser Mike Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after reports indicated that Waltz would be leaving his advisory position.
“I know he will do the same in his new role,” he wrote.
“In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN.”
Rubio’s having both the roles of national security adviser and secretary of state is not unprecedented. In the 1970s, under presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Henry Kissinger served as both secretary of state and national security adviser.
“This is a man who has worn several hats since day one,“ State Department press secretary Tammy Bruce told reporters on May 1, referring to Rubio. ”The president makes perfect assessments on who will implement his agenda.”
The May 1 announcement from Trump essentially ended speculation on Waltz’s future in the administration after several media outlets, citing anonymous sources, stated that he would be departing.
It comes just weeks after Waltz confirmed that he accidentally invited an Atlantic editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, into a Signal chat with other officials that included discussions on Yemen airstrikes.
Waltz apologized for the incident in a March interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham and said he doesn’t know Goldberg, who had included details about the Signal chat in an article.
Other Trump administration officials who were in the chat included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Hegseth has said on multiple occasions that no “war plans” were shared in the chat, disputing claims that were made in Goldberg’s article.
Trump had previously nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as his ambassador to the U.N., but she was ultimately withdrawn from consideration in March.
The reason for the New York Republican’s withdrawal, Trump said in a Truth Social post at the time, was that it’s “essential“ that his administration maintains ”EVERY Republican Seat in Congress” as the GOP holds a thin advantage in the lower congressional chamber.
“We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning,” the president said at the time. “I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress.”
“It was a combination of the New York corruption that we’re seeing under [Gov.] Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin,” she said at the time. “I’ve been in the House. It’s tough to count these votes every day.”
During Trump’s first term in office, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, and former diplomat Kelly Craft served as his U.N. ambassadors.
As of Jan. 20, career diplomat Dorothea Shea has been serving as Trump’s interim U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
