It was always a case not of if but when Mike Waltz was going to leave his post as National Security Advisor to President Trump. The “signalgate” scandal, when secret war plans in Yemen were leaked to a journalist, was a real clanger.
President Trump defended Waltz at the time. While accepting he had made a mistake, he stood by Waltz – the first US Army Green Beret ever to hold such a high office. Nonetheless Trump watchers forecast a different outcome in the end. If you embarrass Donald J Trump, you are gone. We know that from his first administration.
What Trump will not do, however is fire anybody because the hated mainstream media urges him to. He is in charge and he alone decides. So, we have an ostensible resignation some weeks after the fact, not an outright sacking. This indicates that Waltz retains, despite his mistake, a degree of favour with Trump. He walked, which leaves scope for a future return to the administration. The second lesson is that there is no more certainty for any of the remaining members of this administration than there was in the last. President Trump does not overlook mistakes. Some of those close to Trump would do well to take heed.
So, who next for the National Security Adviser portfolio? Steve Witkoff, a real estate developer and personal friend of President Trump, currently serves as the US special envoy for negotiations involving Russia and the Middle East. He would be my guess. His recent diplomatic engagements, including meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at advancing peace talks in Ukraine, have positioned him as a strong candidate for the National Security role.
The other possibilities are Elbridge Colby and Robert C O’Brien. Currently serving as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Colby is known for his hawkish stance on China and advocacy for reallocating US military resources to the Indo-Pacific region. Having previously served as National Security Adviser during Trump’s first term, O’Brien for his part remains in good standing in Trump’s circle and the broader foreign policy community, making him a potential candidate for a return.
But the rules of the game in the Trump Presidency remain. If you make a mistake you are gone. And only Donald Trump decides when.
It was always a case not of if but when Mike Waltz was going to leave his post as National Security Advisor to President Trump. The “signalgate” scandal, when secret war plans in Yemen were leaked to a journalist, was a real clanger.
President Trump defended Waltz at the time. While accepting he had made a mistake, he stood by Waltz – the first US Army Green Beret ever to hold such a high office. Nonetheless Trump watchers forecast a different outcome in the end. If you embarrass Donald J Trump, you are gone. We know that from his first administration.
What Trump will not do, however is fire anybody because the hated mainstream media urges him to. He is in charge and he alone decides. So, we have an ostensible resignation some weeks after the fact, not an outright sacking. This indicates that Waltz retains, despite his mistake, a degree of favour with Trump. He walked, which leaves scope for a future return to the administration. The second lesson is that there is no more certainty for any of the remaining members of this administration than there was in the last. President Trump does not overlook mistakes. Some of those close to Trump would do well to take heed.
So, who next for the National Security Adviser portfolio? Steve Witkoff, a real estate developer and personal friend of President Trump, currently serves as the US special envoy for negotiations involving Russia and the Middle East. He would be my guess. His recent diplomatic engagements, including meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at advancing peace talks in Ukraine, have positioned him as a strong candidate for the National Security role.
The other possibilities are Elbridge Colby and Robert C O’Brien. Currently serving as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Colby is known for his hawkish stance on China and advocacy for reallocating US military resources to the Indo-Pacific region. Having previously served as National Security Adviser during Trump’s first term, O’Brien for his part remains in good standing in Trump’s circle and the broader foreign policy community, making him a potential candidate for a return.
But the rules of the game in the Trump Presidency remain. If you make a mistake you are gone. And only Donald Trump decides when.