Trump national security advisor Mike Waltz expected to leave post after Signal scandal

National Security Advisor Michael Waltz was seen checking his phone as he got ready for a television interview at the White House in Washington, DC on May 01, 2025. This week marks the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term as the U.S. President.

Mike Waltz, the national security advisor, is expected to step down from his position in the Trump administration following controversy surrounding a Signal messaging app group he created to discuss U.S. military plans in March. Deputy national security advisor Alex Wong is also anticipated to resign, according to sources who spoke to NBC News about the departures on Thursday.

Waltz was noticeably absent from a National Day of Prayer event at the White House, where many other senior officials from the Trump administration were present. The Signal group established by Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic Editor Jeffrey Goldberg, who disclosed details of messages exchanged between high-ranking officials.

The group consisted of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director Scott Ratcliff, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Reportedly, messages shared among the group on March 15 contained specific information about weapon packages, targets, and timing of attacks on Houthi forces in Yemen, which were executed shortly after the exchange.

Waltz would be the first significant figure to depart from the White House since the start of Trump’s second term. Trump reassured earlier this week that Waltz’s position was secure.

During a conversation with Atlantic reporters, Trump was asked about Hegseth’s continuation as Pentagon chief. Hegseth had come under fire for revealing attack plans to the group that included Goldberg and for separately sharing some information about the planned strikes with his wife, brother, attorney, and aides via the app.

Trump affirmed that Hegseth’s position was safe but did not confirm if he would stay longer than Waltz. The Pentagon’s internal watchdog is currently investigating Hegseth’s use of Signal for discussing military actions.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that Waltz should be dismissed from his role, emphasizing that Hegseth should be the one facing consequences.

Trump’s first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned in 2017 after misleading then-Vice President Mike Pence about his interactions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was pardoned by Trump in 2020.