Trump nominates Mike Waltz for UN ambassador amid ‘Signal Gate’ row; Rubio to serve interim role as NSA

President Donald Trump said Thursday he is nominating Mike Waltz as United Nations ambassador, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio would take over Waltz’s duties in an interim role.

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Trump posted on Truth Social, “I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. 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.”

He added, “I know he will do the same in his new role. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Meanwhile, JD Vance explained that Donald Trump removed Mike Waltz from his role as national security adviser because the President believed the Floridian would be a “better UN ambassador” and the former congressman’s nomination should be considered a promotion.

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“We brought Mike on to do some serious reforms of the National Security Council. He has done that,” Vance told Fox News “Special Report” host Bret Baier. “I like Mike. I think he’s a great guy. He’s got the trust of both me and the president, but we also thought that he’d make a better UN ambassador as we get beyond this stage of the reforms that we’ve made to the National Security Council.”

During Donald Trump's presidency, the position of National Security Adviser saw frequent changes. Michael Flynn, the first to hold the role under Trump, resigned after just 25 days following controversy surrounding his communication with Russian officials.

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He was succeeded by H R McMaster, who served for over a year before stepping down due to personal tensions and differing approaches with Trump. McMaster's departure was announced by Trump on social media, along with the appointment of John Bolton as his replacement.

However, Bolton’s time in the role was also brief, ending due to policy disagreements with the president. In 2019, Robert O’Brien assumed the position and remained until the conclusion of Trump’s term in 2021, bringing more continuity to the role than those before him.

(With inputs from agencies)