Waltz resigns from House to take on Trump national security role
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) resigned from the House on Monday morning, as he prepares to join President-elect Trump's Cabinet as national security adviser.
Waltz's resignation was read on the House floor just over an hour before Trump was scheduled to be sworn in, officially bringing the breakdown in the House to 218 Republicans and 215 Democrats.
The position of national security adviser is not subject to Senate confirmation, making Waltz part of the Cabinet as soon as Trump takes office.
Trump announced Waltz's appointment on Nov. 11. He had served in the House since 2019, representing Florida’s 6th congressional district as a member of the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees.
Trump has called Waltz an “expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran and global terrorism,” as well as a“champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of peace through strength.”
Waltz has consistently taken a hawkish position towards China, backed Israel's war on Hamas, and expressed concern that President Biden’s strategy in Ukraine risks escalation with Russia. He has also said Greenland, which Trump has expressed interest in acquiring, is important for national security.
“This is about critical minerals,” Waltz said in an interview earlier this month. “This is about natural resources. This is about, as the polar ice caps pull back, the Chinese are now cranking out icebreakers and pushing up there as well. So, it’s oil and gas. It’s our national security. It’s critical minerals.”
On CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday, Waltz said the president-elect is going to have a “Reagan moment” as he returns to the presidency amid the early stages of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
“Now, we’re going to have a Reagan moment,” Waltz said, referencing the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. “We are going to have President Trump being sworn in as hostages are coming out alive.”
“And that’s something we all should celebrate,” he added.
Topics
-
Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Adviser, Reflects on China Policy
President Biden and his team saw China as the one nation with the intent and capability to displace American primacy — and crafted policies to defend U.S. power.The New York Times - 1d -
Transcript: Incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Jan. 19, 2025
The following is the full transcript of an interview with Rep. Mike Waltz, incoming Trump administration national security adviser, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Jan. 19, ...CBS News - 1d -
Incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz says "Hamas will never govern Gaza"
Mike Waltz, who will take over as national security adviser in the incoming Trump administration, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the new administration will support Israel if ...CBS News - 1d -
Durbin seeks information from Patel personnel files at national security agencies
Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked a suite of agencies that previously employed Kash Patel to turn over information on possible misconduct of ...The Hill - 3d -
Trump will 'find a way' to preserve TikTok, Waltz says
President-elect Trump will take action to preserve TikTok upon taking office, his incoming national security adviser said Wednesday, with a deadline looming for the app’s owner to sell or face a ...The Hill - 4d -
Trump, Putin call expected soon, Waltz says
President-elect Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to have a phone call in the coming days or weeks, Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), said ...The Hill - Jan. 13 -
Jack Smith resigns from DOJ amid fight over Trump reports
Special Counsel Jack Smith formally resigned from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, a detail buried in a court filing as DOJ pushes to release his final report on his investigation into ...The Hill - Jan. 11 -
Greenland important for national security: Waltz
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), President-elect Trump’s pick for national security adviser, said Wednesday that Greenland is important for national security, leaning into Trump's expressed interest in ...The Hill - Jan. 9 -
Trump, White House react to Justin Trudeau's resignation
The development comes a month after Canada's deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, resigned suddenly from Trudeau's cabinet.ABC News - Jan. 6
More from The Hill
-
Who was sitting behind JD Vance on Inauguration Day?
You may have recognized Trump's family and Vance's wife, but who was sitting with them? Vance's mother, who underwent a major surgery earlier this month.The Hill - 27m -
Sharpton announces boycott of companies ending DEI
Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday announced a boycott of companies eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, saying the effort will be in the spirit of the late civil rights leader ...The Hill - 35m -
Maddow rips tech executives sitting with Trump nominees at inauguration: 'How is this happening?'
MSNBC pundit Rachel Maddow expressed bewilderment that leading business and tech industry leaders were seated near President Trump at his inauguration on Monday. "Kristi Noem, the nominee for ...The Hill - 41m -
WATCH: Carrie Underwood sings 'America the Beautiful' a cappella after apparent tech issue at inauguration
An apparent technical issue didn't stop Carrie Underwood from delivering "America the Beautiful" during the second inauguration of President Trump on Monday.The Hill - 44m -
Carrie Underwood goes a cappella at Trump inauguration after sound issues
Country music star Carrie Underwood was forced to sing "America The Beautiful" a cappella after apparent sound issues at President Trump's inauguration on Monday. After Trump finished his remarks ...The Hill - 48m
More in Politics
-
House Speaker Johnson: America is 'roaring back' with next Trump presidency
House Speaker Mike Johnson made remarks following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, saying America is “roaring back.”NBC News - 13m -
Who was sitting behind JD Vance on Inauguration Day?
You may have recognized Trump's family and Vance's wife, but who was sitting with them? Vance's mother, who underwent a major surgery earlier this month.The Hill - 27m -
Sharpton announces boycott of companies ending DEI
Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday announced a boycott of companies eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, saying the effort will be in the spirit of the late civil rights leader ...The Hill - 35m -
Maddow rips tech executives sitting with Trump nominees at inauguration: 'How is this happening?'
MSNBC pundit Rachel Maddow expressed bewilderment that leading business and tech industry leaders were seated near President Trump at his inauguration on Monday. "Kristi Noem, the nominee for ...The Hill - 41m -
Watch highlights from Donald Trump’s inauguration speech
Watch highlights from President Trump's inauguration ceremony at the Capitol as he delivered remarks to the nation and was sworn in to serve as the 47th president.NBC News - 43m