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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz speak with the media following meetings with a Ukrainian delegation on Ukraine-Russia peace talks, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11, 2025.
Waltz out of White House, as Rubio adds more to his plate
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz will exit his post, CBS News first reported, and will be nominated as ambassador to the United Nations. The move brings a premature end to the Floridian’s tumultuous White House stint, one that has been marred ever since he accidentally added a journalist from The Atlantic to a Signal chat discussion about US attack plans in Yemen. President Donald Trump confirmed the reshuffle on social media.
It began before Signal-gate. Waltz reportedly didn’t gel with Trump or his most senior advisers from the off. He clashed with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and his history – he advocated against Trump’s rise in 2016 – left him vulnerable to attacks from the right.
Dems on offense. Rep. Derek Tran (D-CA), who holds a swing seat covering parts of Los Angeles and Orange County, called Waltz “one of the rotten apples in the barrel.” But he didn’t stop there, calling for the ousting of Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth too.
“It’s not enough that it’s just Waltz, it has to be Hegseth as well,” he told GZERO. Hegseth was the one who shared the war plans on the Signal chat that Waltz created but has thus far escaped punishment. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have been calling for Hegseth’s head for over a month.
From one Florida man to another. In his stead, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve in Waltz’s role on an interim basis, adding yet another role to his portfolio. The former Florida senator entered the administration as the secretary of state, before subsuming USAID into his command in February as well as Waltz’s role now.
Whether he lasts in this trio of roles for long is another matter — the Miami native has long had presidential ambitions, which he could pursue in 2028.
Not the launchpad it used to be. Six of the first 15 US presidents had served as secretary of state before becoming commander-in-chief, but none since. Mike Pompeo, who held the position for the last two years of Trump’s first term, flirted with a run but ultimately declined when his polling mirrored that of the fictional Connor Roy in “Succession.” Rubio’s path to the presidency thus remains a challenging one.National Security Adviser Mike Waltz walks to board Marine One at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on April 3, 2025.
Michael Waltz runs out of time in Washington, headed for UN post
Waltz out of step. Though the former congressman wasn’t the one who shared war plans on the chat – US Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth holds that honor – he ultimately took responsibility. President Donald Trump initially seemed willing to give Waltz a second chance, but it turned out that the national security adviser had created several other Signal chats to discuss foreign policy.
The original Signal faux-pas also raised questions over the exact nature of Waltz’s relationship with The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. Neither Waltz nor Goldberg would comment on it.
History repeats itself. Trump fired former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn just 22 days into his first term. The president reportedly regretted this decision, so was reluctant to remove Waltz this time, and instead landed on a reshuffle.
Hegseth gets away with it – for now. The former Fox News host seems to have escaped punishment, even though it emerged that he also shared war plans with his wife, brother, and lawyer in a separate Signal chat. A former Pentagon spokesperson also said the Department of Defense has been in “total chaos” under his leadership. Trump has thus far backed Hegseth, although he hedged on whether he had full confidence in him during an ABC News interview that aired on Tuesday.
A full plate for Rubio. The former Florida senator entered the administration as the secretary of state, but he now counts USAID administrator and the acting National Security role in his portfolio. Whether he lasts in this trio of roles for long is another matter — the Miami native has long had presidential ambitions, which he could pursue in 2028.US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to the media at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll event in Washington, D.C., USA, on April 21, 2025.
Is the end nigh for Hegseth?
Ever since US President Donald Trump nominated Pete Hegseth as Defense secretary, the former Fox News host has been in the hot seat.
Before his Senate confirmation, Hegseth faced a slew of allegations about his drinking, behavior toward women – including from his own mother – and financial mismanagement. Soon after starting the job, he had to walk back comments about whether Ukraine could gain NATO membership. Then there was the Signal chat, where Hegseth shared US war plans ahead of strikes on the Houthi rebel group.
Turns out, it wasn’t the only Signal chat where Hegseth shared plans: The New York Times reported Sunday that he also messaged his wife, brother, and lawyer about the scheduled strikes. The knives appear to be out for him: One of Hegseth’s former spokespeople at the Pentagon, John Ullyot, said the department had been “total chaos” over the past month, and that it is “hard to see [Hegseth] remaining in his role for much longer.”
Dark clouds ahead. NPR reported Monday that the White House is scouting a replacement for Hegseth, even as the president defended him publicly and privately. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt panned the NPR story, without explicitly denying the contents of it. Adding to the furore, US Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) has become the first Republican lawmaker to call for Hegseth’s head.
“Hegseth is rapidly becoming untenable in his position, though Trump appears committed to keeping him at least for right now,” according to Eurasia Group US Director Clayton Allen. “That could easily change if additional stories break this week.”
Breathing a sigh of relief. It looked like National Security Advisor Michael Waltz might be the fall guy for creating the original Signal chat, but the looming concern over Hegseth’s future has relieved the pressure on Waltz — at least for now.Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during a reenlistment ceremony for Medal of Honor recipient in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon last week.
Hard Numbers: Hegseth’s other Signal chat, Americans protest Trump, Foreign students sue over F-1 visas, Deadly farming clashes plague Nigeria, Japan charges tourists more
2: Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethreportedly shared classified details about looming US airstrikes in Yemen in a second unclassified Signal group -- this time including his wife, brother, and personal attorney. On March 15, he disclosed flight plans for F/A-18 Hornets targeting Houthi positions. That was the same day Hegseth sent similar information to another Signal chat that included The Atlantic’s Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, raising serious concerns about mishandling of sensitive military intelligence.
50: Protests were held in cities across the US on Saturday to protest the “anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies,” according to the group 50501, which organized many of the events. From Portland, Maine, to Los Angeles, thousands took to the streets to protest what they see as Donald Trump’s civil rights and constitutional violations.
329,196: Five foreign students are suing the US Dept. of Homeland Security over the loss of their F-1 visas, which they held as international students. The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit, says the Trump administration has terminated F-1 visas for “hundreds, if not thousands, of international students.” One of the five involved in the suit, Chinese national Hangrui Zhang, invested a whopping $329,196 into his US studies, and he now faces the prospect of not being able to finish his degree.
56: Suspected violence between Muslim cattle herders and Christian farmers over land use and grazing rights turned deadly again in central Nigeria. At least 56 people were killed on Thursday and Friday in Benue state in the latest clash to plague Africa’s most populous country — fighting in north central Plateau state also claimed more than 100 lives in recent weeks. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the killings and publicly blamed President Bola Tinubu for not doing enough to stop the violence.
4,000: Whether it’s because they’re shunning the US amid Donald Trump’s tariff war, reading how wonderful Japan is to visit, or simply enjoying how far their dollars go against the weaker yen, Canadians are increasingly vacationing in Japan. More than 550,000 Canadian tourists visited last year, a 37% jump from 2023. But the Japanese, concerned with overtourism and housing affordability, are starting to push back by raising tourism prices. From July, foreigners looking to climb Mount Fuji, for example, will pay 4,000 yen, roughly CA$40, double last year’s cost. But the price may not be steep enough to keep adventure-seeking hordes at bay.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz looks on as he sits next to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office on March 13, 2025.
Will Waltz face the music?
Someone needs to take Michael Waltz’s phone out of his hand. The National Security Advisor’s tech scandal continues, as documents shared with the Washington Post revealed on Tuesday that he was conducting government business on his personal Gmail account, and Politico learned on Wednesday that he created at least 20 Signal group chats to discuss various foreign policy issues. These revelations follow the Signal chat scandal from last week and the discovery of Waltz’s public Venmo account. Penny for your thoughts, Hillary Clinton?
Apples and oranges. Whereas Clinton’s communications emerged following an FOIA request from a right-wing nonprofit, it’s unclear how the former Florida congressman’s emails and information about the other Signal chats got to journalists. One GOP strategist familiar with FOIA requests argued that the way these stories were characterized — the Washington Post said it had “reviewed” the documents — reveals they were leaks.
His last Waltz? The White House isn’t happy with the former Army officer. Though US President Donald Trump spared him after the Houthi chat debacle, Waltz has faced questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Goldberg,the journalist he inadvertently added to the chat.His responses have been awkward, and his position now looks to be under threat. To make matters worse, Trump fired three members of Waltz’s team on Thursday, seemingly leaving Waltz on the brink.
Turkey's protests & crackdowns complicate EU relations
Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, shares his perspective on European politics from Stockholm, Sweden.
Do you think the Signal controversy in the US will have an impact on the transatlantic relationship?
Well, not in itself. It does betray an attitude to security issues that is somewhat too relaxed, to put it very mildly. But what does betray as well is the disdain, the resentment, the anger against Europeans that is there from the vice president, the secretary of defense, and others, and that is duly noted. And of course, something that is subject of what we have to note it. It's there. It's a fact.
What impact do you think the Turkish protest and instability will have on Turkish relationships with its European allies?
Well, it's certainly not going to be a good thing. We have an interest in good relationship and stable relationship with Turkey. It's a significant EU strategic actor. It's a significant economy. But of course, when we have these arrests of a prominent opposition, politicians, we have massive protests that are repressed, that we have massive violations of social media and arrests of journalists and things like that. It does complicate things to put it very mildly. We haven't seen the end of that story yet.
President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office flanked by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the day he signed executive orders for reciprocal tariffs, Feb. 13, 2025.
Opinion: Searching for signals on ‘Liberation Day’
Now in its third month, Trump 2.0 has sustained a breakneck pace. In recent days, the administration announced 25% tariffs on automobiles, conceived of secondary tariffs for nations buying oil from Venezuela (and potentially Russia and Iran), and reiterated its interest in “getting” Greenland.
Market participants have held their breath for Wednesday – “Liberation Day” – as the administration is set to unveil global tariffs, the lynchpin of its America First trade policy.
As the zone has flooded, predicting the current administration’s next moves has become an Olympic-level sport. Details of a group chat between senior administration officials that leaked last week – the so-called Houthi PC small group – provide allies, adversaries, and watchers with revealing insights into the administration’s foreign policy blueprint.
Reestablishing deterrence
While campaigning, President Donald Trump was fond of saying that no wars broke out during his presidency and that the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza would never have happened if he had been president. In the run-up to his inauguration, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine on his first day in office (later extended to within six months). On Gaza, Trump posted on social media that Hamas would have “all hell to pay” if they did not release Israeli hostages before he was sworn in.
Whether the administration was prepared to back up these threats with action hung as a giant question mark. During his first term, Trump largely avoided large-scale security operations. The major exception was the January 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force. This time, the risk of threatening “all hell” is that to establish credibility, you may have to administer “all hell.”
On March 15, the US military began conducting a series of air strikes on Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen – the operation at the heart of the group chat.
Exchanges in the chat tell us this use of force was strategic by design.According to the transcript, after Vice President JD Vance shared concerns about conducting the attacks, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth countered, “We are prepared to execute, and if I had final go or no go vote, I believe we should. This is not about the Houthis. I see it as two things: 1) Restoring Freedom of Navigation, a core national interest; and 2) Reestablish deterrence, which Biden cratered.” The message is clear: this is not about the Houthis; this is about the Trump 2.0 administration telegraphing its willingness to carry out “all hell.” TheUS has reportedly deployed B-2 bombers and cargo planes to the region as a further indicator of the administration’s apparent willingness to conduct additional strikes.
A ledger of allies
Hegseth’s remarks also reveal another principle of the Trump 2.0 foreign policy: Isolationism is dead, long live America First. During the first Trump administration, there was a sense that the president’s focus on rebuilding manufacturing jobs and tightening immigration meant that the US was taking its ball and going home. Now, Trump and his team are scanning the horizon, looking for angles, and from Greenland to Canada to Venezuela and Yemen,no stone is being left uncovered.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Houthi militants have targeted shipping assets traversing the Red Sea, depressing trade through the channel and setting off a global rerouting of trade. Trump ordered the sea lanes reopened. As laid out in the group chat, the administration sees it as the US's role and a core national interest to restore freedom of navigation. In fact, according to Hegseth, “VP: I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC. But [US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz] is correct, we are the only ones on the planet (on our side of the ledger) who can do this. Nobody else even close.”
Much has been made of the anti-Europe tone of the conversation. Anyone sitting in European capitals will certainly be disappointed by the language and accompanying content that the US will be looking to Europe to foot its security bill. But anyone sitting in European capitals hopefully already knows to expect this. That Trump (like President Barack Obama before him and President Joe Biden after him) wants to see Europe pay more for its collective defense is not new or news. What should, however, buoy Europe is that the US still counts itself on the same side of the ledger as its Western allies and that it feels a responsibility – a unique responsibility – toward them. This is not a case of the US pulling up the drawbridge. This is a US administration taking aim and looking for others to help settle the bill.
There can be no doubt that following the daily turns of the US administration can leave the rest of the world gasping for air. In his second term, Trump’s true north is legacy – perhaps even athird term. Through a relentless drive on tariffs, secondary tariffs, sanctions, export controls, and other measures, he is further aligning national security and economic security toward an ambition of bringing revenue and investment back to the US. This is a years-long project, beginning on Liberation Day, and no three-month period can definitively judge its outcome. The administration initiated the Houthi operation to backstop its economic policy prong with a hard-power policy prong. Going forward, when threats of a “bad situation” or of bombing Iran are made unless a deal is struck, they will carry weight.
Still, Trump hopes that his “proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” The US is not leaving the world alone, for better or for worse.
Lindsay Newman is a geopolitical risk expert and columnist for GZERO.
From left, FBI Director Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, director of National Intelligence, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, testify during the House Select Intelligence Committee hearing titled “Worldwide Threats Assessment,” in Longworth building on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The witnesses fielded questions on the Signal chat, about attacks against Houthis in Yemen, that accidentally included a reporter.
Will Trump find a fall guy for Signal chat revelations?
The drip, drip, drip of revelations about the Trump administration’s Signal chat continued Wednesday as The Atlantic published screenshots that showed senior officials sharing military plans on the messaging app. “1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets),” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote at 11:44 a.m. on March 15, two hours before the United States bombed the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The trick is not getting caught: Before The Atlanticposted receipts for its original article, Hegseth flatly denied that anyone had been “texting war plans.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said at a Senate hearing on Tuesday that the chat didn’t contain any “intelligence equities.” After the screenshots dropped, Gabbard denied lying to senators, telling a House hearing on Wednesday that her Tuesday testimony “was based on my recollection, or the lack thereof, on the details that were posted there.”
Deflect, deflect: President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said Wednesday that the intense focus on this chat group was “all a witch hunt.” He also suggested that the Signal messaging app was faulty and that his predecessor, Joe Biden, was to blame for not having struck Yemen earlier – but the US under Biden did lead allied strikes against the Houthis in Yemen last year.
Legal tactics: Rather than punish someone inside the government ranks, the Trump administration may instead go after The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, who was inadvertently added to the chat and published the screenshots.
“The Trump administration is very likely to target Goldberg with some legal repercussions, though runs the risk of keeping the story in the headlines as new angles emerge,” according to Eurasia Group US Director Clayton Allen.
For more insights on Signal-gate, check out Ian Bremmer’s latest Quick Take here.