Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Mike Waltz, is set to leave his position following a controversy involving a leaked Signal chat group, multiple US media outlets reported on Thursday.
This marks the first major personnel exit of Trump’s second term, which has otherwise been notably stable compared to his first time in office.
CBS News confirmed that both Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, are on their way out of the White House, though no official confirmation has been issued. Fox News indicated that President Trump is expected to comment on the development soon.
Waltz, 51, a former U.S. congressman from Florida and special forces officer, served just over 100 days before the scandal prompted calls for his resignation. During Trump’s first term, he went through four national security advisors.
A White House official, responding to the reports, said they “do not want to get ahead of any announcement.”
Interestingly, Waltz made a public appearance on Fox News early Wednesday, giving no indication of an imminent departure. Speaking about a new minerals deal with Ukraine, he said: “Nobody said (it) could be done. President Trump said ‘get it done’.” He also praised Trump’s influence on military enlistment, adding: “I’m so excited about this. This is leadership at its finest, led by our commander in chief, who loves the troops and they love him.”
Initially seen as a moderate in the administration, Waltz had enjoyed Trump’s support, even after the scandal surfaced in late March. However, his position became increasingly untenable after Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, disclosed that Waltz had been mistakenly added to a Signal group chat discussing sensitive military operations.
The group reportedly shared real-time plans for airstrikes on Yemen’s Huthi rebels, with messages detailing exact timing and operations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also featured prominently in the chats, including one message that read: “1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package),” followed by: “Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME.”
Another message added: “1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”
Waltz himself reportedly contributed intelligence from the field, stating: “US forces had identified the target ‘walking into his girlfriend’s building and it’s now collapsed.’”
The fallout has also put pressure on Defense Secretary Hegseth, with growing calls for accountability over the incident. Trump, meanwhile, has yet to publicly respond to the situation.
Waltz’s departure comes as Trump marks his first 100 days in office, a milestone overshadowed by the unfolding scandal.
