Trump appoints Waltz as National Security Advisor in policy shift

Mike Waltz, a congressman from Florida and the first Green Beret in Congress, is set to play a crucial role in shaping the United States foreign policy. Trump stated that Waltz would be "a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength"

Waltz is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces who has represented Florida in Congress since 2018. He is an expert on threats from China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism and is a member of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence Committees.

During the election campaign, he was one of Trump's main defenders and champions on national security issues, frequently appearing on TV programmes. As the National Security Advisor, he will assume one of the most significant roles in the White House, acting as a key official responsible for U.S. foreign policy alongside the Secretary of State.

The politician is regarded as a "hawk" in relations with Russia, China, and Iran. Although he voted against a U.S. aid package for Ukraine last year - while supporting previous aid - in a recent interview with NPR radio, he argued that Trump could persuade Vladimir Putin to negotiate by imposing sanctions on Russian oil and lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range weapons.

"Russia is essentially a gas station with nukes. Putin is selling more oil and gas now than he did prewar through China and Russia. And you couple that with unleashing our energy, lifting our LNG ban, and his economy and his war machine will dry up very quickly," the politician said just before the elections. He also promised to impose sanctions on Chinese companies buying Russian oil.

Waltz commended Trump's stance on NATO, agreeing with his call for European nations to raise their defence spending. The congressman expressed that the U.S. should firmly communicate to its allies that now is the time for them to contribute more to their defence. He emphasized that military alliances rely on trust and mutual support. He pointed out that insufficient investment by allies is not aggressive but rather a way to support American taxpayers bearing the financial burden for an extended period. This statement was made ahead of the NATO summit in Washington.

Mike Waltz is the second active congressman invited to serve in the new administration. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on Tuesday that he does not anticipate further nominations of congressmen due to the narrow Republican majority in the House.

In Tuesday's statement, Donald Trump also announced that former Arkansas Governor and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Huckabee is a former governor of Arkansas who twice unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in the presidential elections, including as a rival to Trump in 2016. He previously hosted a talk show on Fox News. He is a pastor in the Southern Baptist Church and is recognised for his strong pro-Israel views.

Huckabee's daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, was the White House Press Secretary in Trump's first administration and is currently the governor of Arkansas.

During his election campaign, Trump promised to end the war in the Middle East quickly. However, he also called on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "finish the job" of eliminating Hamas in the Gaza Strip.