Washington -The President-elect is Donald Trump name expected Florida Republican Representative Michael Waltz has been appointed as his national security adviser, two sources familiar with the plans confirmed to CBS News.
The National Security Advisor is a top aide to the President who plays a key role in making foreign and national security policy decisions. The role does not require Senate confirmation.
Waltz, a Green Beret veteran who served multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, was elected to Congress in 2018, replacing Ron DeSantis, who was elected governor of Florida.
wall street journal It was first reported that Trump had chosen Waltz.
Waltz, a China hawk, serves on the House China Task Force that seeks to develop solutions to address the influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
He has also been skeptical about providing more aid ukraine Because it fights Russian aggression. He has said that the US has “influence” on both Ukraine and Russia to bring them to the negotiating table to end the war.
“We have leverage, like removing the long-range weapons that we provided to Ukraine,” he said. “And then, of course, I think we have enough leverage to get them to the table with Zelensky.” There is leverage.” npr earlier this month.
He served in the US Army and National Guard for nearly three decades and retired from the military during his second term in Congress. He was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two for gallantry.
Prior to his election to Congress, Waltz worked in various roles in the Pentagon and the White House, including as director of defense policy for Secretaries of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates.
Waltz's wife, Julia Neschivat, served as Trump's homeland security adviser in the final year of his first term. He has also served in various roles in the Bush and Obama administrations.
Trump had three national security advisers in his first administration. Lieutenant General HR McMaster (now a CBS News contributor) was the first, and Trump fired him After 13 months. John Bolton replaced McMaster and served in the position for 17 months before resigning. was also thrown out From the administration. Trump's last national security advisor, Robert O'Brien, remained in the position until the end of Trump's first term.