(José Niño, Headline USA) Michael Waltz’s tenure as National Security Adviser ended after a security breach involving a messaging app, according to a report by CBS News.
Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong are leaving the Trump administration, multiple sources confirmed on Thursday. This marks the first high-profile departure in President Trump’s second term, coming after less than four months in office.
Waltz’s departure stems from what has become known as “Signalgate” — a March 2025 incident where he accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat with top national security officials.
The chat contained sensitive discussions about planned military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, including specific timing information shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Following the incident, Waltz took responsibility, telling Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, “I take full responsibility. I built the group. It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”. While President Trump initially expressed support for Waltz, saying he had “learned a lesson” and was “a good man,” the controversy ultimately eroded his standing within the administration.
Though administration officials argued no classified information was shared, the incident raised serious concerns about how sensitive security information was being handled.
A decorated combat veteran, Waltz served 27 years in the U.S. Army and National Guard, including multiple combat tours as a Special Forces officer in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa, receiving four Bronze Stars, including two for valor.
Before entering politics, Waltz worked in the Pentagon as a defense policy director for Secretaries of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, and served in the White House as Vice President Dick Cheney’s counterterrorism advisor.
He later became the first Green Beret elected to Congress, representing Florida’s 6th district from 2019 until his appointment as national security advisor in January 2025.
Waltz was considered among the more hawkish members of the Trump administration, particularly regarding Iran. In March 2025, following U.S. strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, Waltz took a hard line: “All actions are always on the table with the president. But Iran needs to hear him loud and clear.”
Regarding Iran‘s nuclear ambitions, Waltz announced that the Trump administration wouldn’t allow Iran’s Ayatollah to have his “finger on the nuclear button.” He emphasized, “All options are on the table to ensure it does not have one,” adding Iran could either “hand it over and give it up in a way that is verifiable, or they can face a whole series of other consequences.”
On Russia-Ukraine policy, Waltz has advocated for bringing both nations to the negotiating table while maintaining clear “red lines” and stronger deterrence against Russian escalation in Ukraine.
Waltz’s departure comes as reports surface of internal power struggles within the National Security Council. Tensions had reportedly grown between Waltz’s more interventionist stance and the “America First” faction of the administration.
That wing—led in part by Vice President JD Vance—is generally more skeptical of foreign interventions.
Overall, Waltz’s firing leaves uncertainty about the Trump administration’s future national security leadership.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
