President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, is expected to leave his role, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to the media.
The potential shake-up comes after a growing wave of frustration from Trump, following a Signal messaging mishap that inadvertently included a journalist in a high-level discussion regarding a U.S. military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen.
No Official Comment Yet from the White House
Neither the White House nor Waltz has issued a formal statement. Sources emphasized the move is not final until President Trump makes a public announcement, which they expect to happen soon.
Waltz was still present during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, where he openly praised Trump’s leadership and foreign policy performance during the first 100 days of his administration.
Trump Previously Defended Waltz
Despite the controversy, Trump had publicly defended Waltz in March, telling media the day after the leak was reported by The Atlantic that Waltz “has learned a lesson and is a good man.”
Fallout from the Signal Leak Continues
In an April 24 interview with The Atlantic, Trump commented further on Waltz’s status:
“He’s fine,” the president said, though he acknowledged Waltz had been “beat up” in the media.
Trump also confirmed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was implicated in the same Signal chat incident, was “safe” in his position.
Trump’s Advice: Avoid Signal
Reflecting on the ordeal, Trump added a bit of advice for his team going forward:
“I think we learned: Maybe don’t use Signal, okay?” he said. “I would frankly tell these people not to use Signal, although it’s been used by a lot of people. But, whatever it is, whoever has it, whoever owns it, I wouldn’t want to use it.”
