trump-appoints-mike-waltz-as-national-security-adviser

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Republican Representative Mike Waltz as his national security adviser, two sources familiar with the matter confirmed on Monday. 

 

Waltz, a retired Army Green Beret and critic of China, will assume the powerful role, which does not require Senate confirmation. 

 

Waltz, a Trump loyalist who served as a colonel in the National Guard, has been vocal in his criticism of Chinese activities in the Asia-Pacific region, calling for the US to prepare for potential conflict there. 

 

He has also publicly praised Trump’s foreign policy stance, notably in contrast to the Biden administration’s handling of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal.

 

As national security adviser, Waltz will brief Trump on key security matters and coordinate with various agencies. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the select committee on intelligence, where he has focused on military logistics and issues related to China. 

 

Waltz, who has a background in defence policy, served as defence policy director under Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates before being elected to Congress in 2018. He is also chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on military logistics and a member of the Republicans’ China Task Force. 

 

In a book published this year, *Hard Truths: Think and Lead Like a Green Beret*, Waltz outlined a strategy for preventing war with China, which includes arming Taiwan more rapidly and modernising the US military. He has also called for greater military preparedness in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

Waltz’s views on Ukraine have evolved since Russia’s 2022 invasion. While initially advocating for increased US support for Kyiv, he has recently questioned whether it is in America’s best interest to continue its involvement, given the growing concerns over China in the Pacific.

 

Although Waltz has praised Trump for pressuring NATO allies to increase defence spending, he has not supported Trump’s suggestion of withdrawing from the alliance. 

 

Waltz also demonstrated his loyalty to Trump earlier this year by attending the former president’s court hearing in Manhattan regarding hush-money payments.