Representative Michael Waltz (R-FL) speaks on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024.
Mike Segar | Reuters
President-Elect Donald Trump has picked Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser, according to four sources familiar with the decision.
Waltz is a Green Beret veteran who served in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. Since 2019, he has represented a congressional district in the House, where he’s a member of the Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump’s NSA pick.
Waltz’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Waltz is a particularly hawkish member in Congress when it comes to China. He’s a member of the House’s China Task Force and has argued that the U.S. is underprepared if there is a conflict in the region.
Like many congressional Republicans, Waltz has also been critical of U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. In a Nov. 4 interview with NPR, he said the U.S. had “leverage” to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to negotiate a “diplomatic resolution” to end the war.
The role of White House national security adviser does not require Senate confirmation.
Waltz joins New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as the second House Republican to be tapped by Trump for a post in his new administration. Trump selected Stefanik to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
