Trump UN envoy pick censored after discussing bombing on Signal
Mike Waltz defends Signal chat during UN ambassador hearing
Mike Waltz, former national security advisor under President Donald Trump, faced senators’ accusations of lying over his use of the encrypted messaging app Signal for internal discussions about a planned U.S. airstrike in Yemen.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing
- Senator Cory Booker alleged Waltz deliberately misrepresented the journalist’s affiliation with the group chat, calling him a “failure of leadership.”
- Senator Chris Coons expressed disbelief at Waltz’s claim that the information exchanged was “not classified,” warning that the White House had yet to dismiss the breach.
- Senator Jacky Rosen highlighted Waltz’s continued salary payment, questioning his claim that he was “not fired.”
Waltz’s explanation
Waltz defended the Signal chat by referencing guidance from former President Joe Biden that authorized use of the platform for “authorized, highly recommended” communications. He insisted that the discussion did not involve “classified” data, only a preview of the upcoming strike timeline and potential targets.
Background on Waltz’s tenure
Waltz had served approximately three months as national security advisor before Trump replaced him with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who concurrently held both roles. Waltz maintained his advisory status, noting he was “not fired.”
Waltz’s UN agenda
During the hearing, Waltz pledged to push for reforms at the United Nations, criticizing the organization for:
- “anti‑Semitism” and “radical politicization” of Israel and the United States
- drifting from its core peacemaking mission
- quadrupling revenue over twenty years without proportional gains in global peace
Waltz accused the UN of “anti‑Semitism” and “radical politicization,” even as the United States remains the organization’s largest funder. He vowed to root out waste and unnecessary overhead at the UN, reflecting his record of aggressive cuts to U.S. overseas assistance and withdrawal from several UN‑backed bodies under Trump’s administration.
