[The departure of Waltz exacerbates the "chaos" situation in Trump's national security team.]

(The Hill) The resignation of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has triggered a major reshuffle within President Trump's White House team, which is divided between "America First" isolationists and traditional Republican hawks.

On Thursday afternoon, Trump announced that Waltz — an hawkish former congressman — would be his nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, with Secretary of State Rubio temporarily serving as National Security Advisor.

Waltz faced attacks from MAGA loyalists both inside and outside the administration for being accused of lacking commitment to the president's agenda, and he was also at the center of the Signal chat scandal during Trump's first 100 days in office.

His departure has exacerbated the turmoil within Trump's national security team. A month ago, several senior officials of the National Security Council were dismissed along with the Director of the National Security Agency, while the Department of Defense was thrown into chaos due to the leaks and dismissals related to Undersecretary Peter Hengst.

"Mike Waltz's abrupt dismissal further proves the chaos and incompetence of President Trump within his first 100 days in the White House and the national security team," said Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic senator from New Hampshire, senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and member of the Armed Services Committee.

"The large-scale replacement of senior personnel in the National Security Council and the Department of Defense is shocking."

Although the position at the United Nations will provide Waltz with an international stage, it will also distance him from the Oval Office.

Some Republicans expressed disappointment upon learning of Waltz's dismissal.

"He did a good job as National Security Advisor. The president has the power to decide who serves on his team, but I regret this news," said Ted Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas.

Those in traditional Republican foreign policy circles who viewed Waltz as a reliable figure may find comfort in Rubio taking over this role. Both hold similar beliefs, supporting cooperation with American allies and confronting adversaries.

"We will never know what absurd proposals were quietly blocked after reaching Waltz's desk," said a foreign policy expert at a conservative think tank, requesting anonymity to protect working relationships with the White House.

"While it is reassuring that Rubio temporarily serves as National Security Advisor, the person Trump ultimately chooses to permanently replace Waltz will indicate the future direction of this administration's foreign policy," the expert continued.

"For those who believe in America playing a leadership role on the global stage, supporting allies, and confronting adversaries — especially given the growing influence of isolationists — he will be missed."

The March Signal chat records revealed the influence wielded by the National Security Advisor and the stance he took against Hengst and Vice President Vance. Editor Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic was mistakenly added to the chat by Waltz, thus exposing its existence.

In the chat, Waltz refuted the claims made by Hengst and Vance that U.S. actions against Houthi rebels in Yemen and securing safe passage in the Red Sea were done for Europe.

"These waterways must be reopened now or in a few weeks by the U.S.," Waltz wrote in the group chat.

Rubio did not participate in the discussion of this chat.

Democrats seized this reshuffle opportunity to push for the removal of the Defense Secretary.

"Waltz is out. Hengst, you're next," posted Ted Lieu, a Democratic representative from California and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on X.

However, Waltz's dismissal may have less to do with how he handled text message relationships and more to do with personal conflicts with Trump's most ardent MAGA supporters. Axios reported that Waltz clashed with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and had tense relations with Vance and Steve Witkowski, a close confidant of Trump.

Despite his close relationship with the president, Rubio has also clashed and confronted some of the president's most ambitious and active allies. The former Florida senator weathered Elon Musk's attempts through his Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to undermine USAID. Some Democrats on Capitol Hill praised Rubio for preserving life-saving aid amidst cuts and freezes in foreign assistance.

Rubio also successfully restructured the State Department without caving to DOGE's cuts.

It was reported that at a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump supported Rubio during a heated exchange with Musk, saying, "Marco is doing well."

On Wednesday, Trump patted Rubio on the hand after the cabinet meeting, a signal of the president's affection for his former presidential rival.

"He is someone very familiar to the president," said State Department spokesperson Tami Bruhns in response to this appointment. "The president has made a perfect assessment of who will execute his agenda, and in this case, he chose the Secretary of State and Mr. Waltz to advance his agenda. I must say, this is not surprising, and it is good news for the American people."

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830967925919755/

Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's views.