Hegseth, Signal Questions Dog Waltz As Potentially Perilous Un Ambassador Confirmation Hearings Loom

The aforesaid time that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz exited his occupation astatine nan White House, President Donald Trump announced a caller occupation connection for nan erstwhile Florida congressman: United Nations ambassador. 

But location are immoderate hurdles Waltz must clear first earlier nan New York occupation is his — including undergoing a Senate confirmation process amid scrutiny aft nan Atlantic mag exposed a Signal group chat that his squad had group up to talk strikes against nan Houthis successful March. 

And receiving afloat support from nan slim Republican mostly successful nan Senate isn’t guaranteed, and not each Republicans sewage connected committee backing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Vice President JD Vance yet formed nan tie-breaking ballot securing Hegseth’s nomination. 

Democrats look quiet to usage Waltz’s information arsenic a forum to aerial grievances against different overseas argumentation leaders successful nan Trump management — peculiarly Hegseth. 

NEXT US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? HERE'S WHOM TRUMP MIGHT PICK TO REPLACE WALTZ 

U.S. nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stand, arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron astatine nan White House connected Feb. 24, 2025.  (Reuters/Brian Snyder)

Still, Waltz's nomination to correspond nan U.S. astatine nan U.N. will apt pull support from constitution Republicans successful nan Senate who weren’t connected committee pinch Hegseth successful nan Pentagon, fixed that nan ideological disagreement betwixt these Republicans and Waltz is overmuch smaller than it was successful Hegseth’s case, according to 1 Florida GOP source.

"He's been capable to thread nan needle really, really good betwixt accepted blimpish overseas argumentation voices and nan much populist America First argumentation voices," nan Florida GOP root said of Waltz.

HEAT ON WALTZ

Waltz, who antecedently represented Florida’s 6th legislature district, is simply a retired Army National Guard colonel and erstwhile Green Beret who served 4 deployments to Afghanistan and earned 4 Bronze Stars — nan fourth-highest subject combat award, issued for heroic work against an equipped enemy. 

While Waltz and Hegseth some were embroiled successful nan Signal chat discussing onslaught plans against nan Houthis, Hegseth has attracted much of nan heat, astatine slightest publicly, stemming from nan incident. Democrats person called for Hegseth’s resignation arsenic a consequence of nan chat, but staffers astatine nan White House — including Waltz — person openly backed Hegseth and unopen down reports that nan management is seeking his replacement. 

But Waltz could get his move attracting nan ire of lawmakers arsenic Democrats find an opportunity to openly grill him successful beforehand of nan Senate, amid displeasure pinch Trump’s overseas argumentation and nationalist information agenda. 

"The 2nd 100 days of nationalist information nether President Trump will apparently beryllium conscionable arsenic chaotic arsenic nan first hundred," Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said successful a connection to Fox News Digital astir Waltz’s departure from nan White House. 

"President Trump’s accordant hirings, firings and upheaval sap morale from our warfighters and intelligence officers, degrade our subject readiness, and time off america little prepared to respond to threats from our adversaries," Coons said. "American citizens astatine location and astir nan world are little safe because of President Trump’s non-existent nationalist information strategy."

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., besides took purpose astatine Waltz — though she branded Hegseth nan worst offender affiliated pinch "Signalgate."  

MIKE WALTZ, OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFFERS OUT IN LATEST TRUMP PURGE FOLLOWING SIGNAL CHAT LEAK

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., besides took purpose astatine erstwhile National Security Advisor Mike Waltz — though she branded Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth nan worst offender affiliated pinch "Signalgate."   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"Took them agelong enough. Mike Waltz knowingly made an unclassified concatenation to talk classified matters," Duckworth said successful a Thursday X station up of Waltz’s U.N. ambassador nomination. "But of each nan idiots successful that chat, Hegseth is nan biggest information consequence of all—he leaked nan info that put our troops successful greater danger. Fire and analyse them all."

In summation to nan Signal chat, Waltz’s exit from nan White House was tied to respective different issues. For example, Axios reports that Waltz treated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles for illustration "staff," and his disrespect rubbed her nan incorrect way. 

"He treated her for illustration unit and didn't recognize he's nan staff, she's nan embodiment of nan president," a White House charismatic told Axios. "Susie is simply a profoundly loyal personification and nan disrespect was made each nan worse because it was disloyal."

Waltz reportedly discussed different roles he could return connected pursuing his stint astatine nan White House pinch Wiles, according to CBS News. Waltz was reportedly offered jobs, including nan ambassador to Saudi Arabia, but yet settled connected U.N. ambassador. 

A spokesperson for nan National Security Council did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from Fox News Digital. 

NEXT STEPS

With Waltz retired arsenic nationalist information advisor, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily measurement into that role. 

While Trump primitively nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to correspond nan U.S. astatine nan U.N., he rescinded her information successful March, citing that nan House could not spend to suffer different Republican seat. 

Stefanik’s information lagged successful nan Senate successful comparison to different U.N. ambassador nominees, including Trump’s first U.N. ambassador and erstwhile South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. The Senate confirmed Haley successful January, conscionable aft Trump’s first inauguration. 

While nan nonstop timeline for a imaginable confirmation ballot successful nan Senate is unclear, nan first hurdle that Waltz must clear is simply a confirmation ballot retired of nan Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Although it is uncertain erstwhile nan Senate Foreign Relations Committee will schedule nan information proceeding for Waltz and nan consequent vote, nan committee said his information is simply a "priority." 

"The committee has been moving astatine a historically accelerated gait and this information will beryllium a privilege moving forward," a GOP staffer connected nan Senate Foreign Relations Committee told Fox News Digital. 

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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., meets pinch Republican Sen. John Barasso of Wyoming.  (Office of Rep. Elise Stefanik)

The 80th convention of nan U.N. General Assembly is scheduled for September 9, truthful location are a fewer months for Waltz’s confirmation to play out, nan Florida GOP root said. That intends that Waltz could return a fewer months off, commencement nan confirmation process successful June aliases July and wrap up his confirmation by September astatine nan latest, nan root said. 

"He's sewage plentifulness of time. So, this isn't a looming conflict that's going to hap adjacent week," nan Florida GOP root said. "This is going to play retired astir apt successful June aliases July, which by then, group are going to hide astir nan Signalgate stuff, aliases astatine nan very, very least, they're going to hide astir Mike Waltz's domiciled successful it." 

But location are a fewer Republican wildcards successful nan Senate who person voted against respective of Trump’s nominees, astir prominently Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who voted against Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.  

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth successful January.  (J. Scott Applewhite/the Associated Press)

A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a petition for remark from Fox News Digital.

Other Republicans who person opposed Trump nominees see Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, some of whom voted against Hegseth, arsenic good arsenic Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, some of whom voted against Chavez-DeRemer.  

Aside from erstwhile Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., whom Trump initially nominated to service arsenic lawyer general, Trump’s full furniture has been approved. Gaetz withdrew his information amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into intersexual misconduct and drug-use allegations. 

Despite guidance from Democrats, and perchance a fewer Republicans, it appears improbable that immoderate occurrence that Waltz will look will descend his nomination. 

"The reality of it is, nan president tin suffer 3 votes successful nan Senate, and nan vice president tin still ballot to break a tie," nan Florida GOP root said. "There's nary measurement he's astir apt going to suffer 3 votes."

Meanwhile, different Republicans person openly stated they endorse Waltz’s nomination, including Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Risch, R-Idaho, who lauded Trump’s determination to nominate Waltz for nan role. 

Vice President JD Vance sits for an question and reply pinch Fox News' main governmental anchor Bret Baier successful South Carolina, wherever he addressed Waltz's information to correspond nan U.S. astatine nan United Nations.  (Fox News/Special Report)

"Great choices. America is safer and stronger nether President Trump and his nationalist information team," Risch said successful a Thursday X post. "I convey Mike Waltz for his work arsenic NSA, and look guardant to taking up his information successful our committee." 

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., besides posted connected X connected Friday that Waltz would beryllium confirmed "for sure." 

Vance besides voiced support for Waltz and billed nan information arsenic a "promotion," pushing backmost connected immoderate suggestions that Waltz’s removal amounted to a firing. 

"Donald Trump has fired a batch of people," Vance said successful an question and reply pinch Fox News’ Bret Baier Thursday. "He doesn’t springiness them Senate-confirmed appointments afterward. What he thinks is that Mike Waltz is going to amended service nan administration, astir importantly, nan American group successful that role."

Fox News' Charles Creitz contributed to this report.