Anti-China US Congressman Mike Waltz will help craft the incoming administration’s foreign policy
US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican Congressman Mike Waltz from Florida to serve as his next national security advisor.
Waltz, a US Army veteran with experience at the Pentagon and the White House, has been characterized by American media as a strong advocate for a tough stance against China and a skeptic of aid to Ukraine.
Trump announced his decision on Tuesday, praising Waltz as a “strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, [who] will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength.”
“Together with President Trump and his team, we will confront the evolving challenges of today’s world and hold firm against those who would harm our way of life,” Waltz wrote on X. “America will keep its allies close, we will not be afraid to confront our adversaries.”
The national security advisor serves as a key presidential advisor responsible for assisting in critical foreign policy decisions. Waltz’s appointment does not require Senate confirmation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson lauded Waltz as a “patriot” and the “perfect person to advise President Trump and defend our interests on the world stage.”
Waltz, a Green Beret veteran, served in the US military for nearly 30 years, participating in combat missions in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. He was elected to Congress in 2018 and retired from his military service during his second term.
He also held the position of defense policy director for Defense Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates. His wife, Julia Nesheiwat, served as Trump’s homeland security advisor during the last year of his first presidential term.
Waltz has been a member of the House China Task Force, which develops strategies to address “threats” posed by China. He has also introduced legislation aimed at countering Beijing’s influence on the global stage and has accused China of “trying to usurp us as a global leader.”
“China’s aggressive activity throughout the Indo-Pacific necessitates US action,” the congressman said last year.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, Waltz argued that Washington should use its “leverage” to facilitate negotiations between Kiev and Moscow.
During his first term, Trump dismissed his national security advisor H.R. McMaster, as well as his successor, John Bolton. He eventually labeled Bolton’s appointment his “biggest mistake,” as the career diplomat became one of his most vocal critics.