President-elect Donald Trump has picked Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to be his national security adviser, according to four sources familiar with the decision.
Waltz is a Green Beret veteran who served in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. Since 2019, he has represented a congressional district in the House, where he's a member of the Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump’s pick.
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Waltz’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Waltz is a particularly hawkish member of Congress when it comes to China. He's a member of the House’s China Task Force and has argued that the U.S. is underprepared if there is a conflict in the region.
Like many congressional Republicans, Waltz has also criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. In an interview with NPR on Nov. 4, he said the U.S. had “leverage” to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table to negotiate a “diplomatic resolution” to end the war.
The role of White House national security adviser doesn’t require Senate confirmation.
Waltz joins Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as the second House Republican Trump has tapped for posts in his new administration. He selected Stefanik to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Katherine Doyle and Matt Dixon contributed.
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