Throughout much of this week, President Trump has been preoccupied with a significant issue: what action to take regarding his national security adviser, Michael Waltz?
“Should I let him go?” he queried his aides and supporters as the repercussions from the dramatic leak of a Signal group chat unfolded, a group formed by Mr. Waltz that mistakenly included a journalist discussing planned military actions in Yemen.
Publicly, Mr. Trump has consistently defended Mr. Waltz while criticizing the media. On Tuesday, the day after Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic revealed his inclusion in the chat, the president remarked that Mr. Waltz was a “good man” who had no reason to apologize.
However, behind closed doors, he has been consulting with both administration insiders and outsiders on what course of action to take.
He expressed to allies his dissatisfaction with the media coverage but was hesitant to appear to yield to press pressure, according to various sources familiar with his remarks. Additionally, he revealed reluctance to dismiss senior personnel so early in his second term.
Nonetheless, the core issue for Mr. Trump seemed to be less about Mr. Waltz’s indiscretion regarding military discussions on a public app and more about Mr. Waltz’s potential links to Mr. Goldberg, a journalist the president detests. The president voiced displeasure over Mr. Waltz having Mr. Goldberg’s contact number.
On Wednesday evening, Mr. Trump convened with Vice President JD Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House Personnel Chief Sergio Gor, Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff, and others to deliberate on whether to keep Mr. Waltz in his position.
By late Thursday, amidst rising controversy, Mr. Trump called Mr. Waltz to the Oval Office. The following morning, he indicated to associates that he was inclined to retain Mr. Waltz, according to three individuals aware of the president’s stance.
Sources close to Mr. Trump claim that Mr. Waltz’s position has been bolstered in part by ongoing support from certain administration members and because Mr. Trump is keen to avoid parallels to the tumultuous staffing of his first term, which saw unprecedented turnover among senior aides in recent presidential history.
While Mr. Trump has the power to alter his decisions at any time, this incident underscores his readiness to ignore external pressures in his second term, even as he wrestles with the boundaries of loyalty expectations he has set for his aides.
Before the Signal leak, Mr. Waltz was already under scrutiny, perceived by some of the president’s advisers as being excessively hawkish and too quick to advocate military action against Iran, contrary to the president’s preference for negotiating deals.
A link to Mr. Goldberg, however tenuous, provided ammunition for Mr. Waltz’s critics.
Some of Mr. Trump’s closest confidants have questioned Mr. Waltz’s compatibility with the president’s foreign policy, especially as he had clashed with Mr. Vance and Ms. Wiles on policy matters, particularly about Iran, according to multiple informed sources.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that the president has a team where members engage in robust debates while recognizing him as the “ultimate decision maker.” “Once a decision is made, everyone aligns to execute it,” she added.
Weeks ago, a conversation arose among aides regarding Mr. Waltz’s ideological alignment with the president. Mr. Trump, who has previously expressed support for Mr. Waltz in private, clearly stated his intent to avoid early dismissals in his second administration, according to two individuals briefed on the discussions. Reflecting on the ousting of his first national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, after less than a month in 2017, the president believed that this would contribute to a narrative of chaos.
Following the Signal leak, a snippet from a 2016 video featuring Mr. Waltz, funded largely by billionaire Koch brothers, surfaced on X. In the video, the military veteran directed accusations at Mr. Trump as a draft-dodger, declaring, “Stop Trump now.” This moment drew renewed attention from his detractors.
In contrast, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seems to be secure in his role, despite having shared sensitive details about planned attack timings in the Signal group. Key figures like Charlie Kirk have come to his defense online.
“Mr. Hegseth did nothing wrong in this situation,” asserted the president on Wednesday.
Mr. Hegseth navigated a challenging Senate confirmation process, aided by Mr. Vance, and maintains a solid rapport with Mr. Trump.
Although Mr. Waltz may retain his position, the controversy serves as a reminder to Mr. Trump’s aides that the president’s crisis management strategy — characterized by denial and defiance, regardless of the surrounding circumstances — may not be as effective for them as it has been for Mr. Trump throughout the years.
When the Atlantic article was published, Mr. Waltz denied having met, known, or communicated with Mr. Goldberg. However, this assertion was quickly challenged by photos that emerged from a 2021 event at the French Embassy in Washington, which depicted Mr. Waltz and Mr. Goldberg standing together. Mr. Waltz’s allies dismissed the notion that the photo proved any familiarity between the two.
The underlying truth is that while Mr. Trump has insisted on loyalty from his inner circle, many senior officials possess extensive backgrounds and connections within Washington, including ties to individuals the president detests.
“I would posit that the essential principle of surrounding himself with yes people and women is foundational, predicated on denying or repudiating any prior associations that could suggest otherwise,” stated John R. Bolton, formerly Mr. Trump’s third national security adviser, who later authored a revealing account of his tenure in the White House.
“Anyone who’s navigated Washington for a decade or more boasts all sorts of histories,” Mr. Bolton added.
During a trip to Greenland on Friday, Mr. Vance, who was accompanying Mr. Waltz to advocate for U.S. interests in the territory, acknowledged Mr. Waltz’s fault in adding Mr. Goldberg to the Signal chat.
Yet, Mr. Vance, who was also part of the group chat and has previously defended Mr. Waltz within the administration, reiterated that support, indicating Mr. Trump was prepared to move past the incident for the time being.
“If anyone thinks they can compel the president of the United States to terminate anyone from their position, they are mistaken,” he remarked. “President Trump has been clear about this from Monday through Thursday, and here I am on Friday, reaffirming that we stand firmly behind our entire national security team.”
