Former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was left stranded on the tarmac as Donald Trump boarded Air Force One for an event in Michigan – just two days before Trump fired him.
Waltz was nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. But his exit from the Cabinet has been seen as the first major shakeup of the second Trump administration.
The ex-Congressman had just visited Joint Base Andrews, riding with the president on Marine One.
The video shows Waltz moving to the stairs to enter the plane with a briefcase in his hand.
He is then seen speaking to a Trump aide who points him in a different direction, suggesting he’s being told he’s not getting on.
Waltz then can only look on as the Trump staffers who would be making the flight boarded.
The Daily Beast cited White House sources, who said that it was ‘odd’ that Waltz had been left there.
The White House told CNN that Waltz had never been scheduled to go with Trump to Michigan.
A video clip shows former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz being left standing on the tarmac as Donald Trump left for an event in Michigan just two days before being fired
Waltz is being reassigned , should he be confirmed, as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations but his exiting his original job is seen as the first major shakeup of the second Trump administration
Trump surprisingly declared Waltz as his new pick to be ambassador to the United Nations not long after news broke that the former congressman was being ousted from the top of the National Security Council.
He was fired for his role in the ‘Signalgate’ scandal after he accidentally added an editor to a highly sensitive group chat about military strikes on the Houthis in Yemen last month.
Trump’s previous pick for the U.N., Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., was dropped from consideration due to the Republicans’ tiny majority in the House of Representatives.
That opened up a spot for a replacement for the top unofficial Cabinet job based out of New York City.
The president revealed the shocking news on Truth Social after wrapping up a National Day of Prayer event.
Unlike the national security job – which Waltz held as of Thursday morning – the U.N. post requires Senate confirmation.
Republicans could push the nomination through on a simple majority, although Waltz earned some supportive language from Democrats Thursday who weren’t expecting his ouster.
Trump’s firing of Waltz from heading the National Security Council was the first ousting of a cabinet secretary in this administration, the Daily Mail confirmed.
Trump surprisingly declared Waltz as his new pick to be ambassador to the United Nations not long after news broke that the former congressman was being ousted from the top of the National Security Council
Marco Rubio, who spoke forcefully at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting while refusing to reveal if there are talks to bring back a man mistakenly deported to Venezuela, will take on the security advisor role on a temporary basis.
It comes weeks after Waltz unwittingly added a journalist to a highly sensitive group chat on the Signal app detailing bomb strike plans against Houthis in Yemen.
The mistake quickly devolved into the biggest scandal of Trump’s second term so far and left the president grappling with negative press fallout.
Waltz joins an expansive club of national security advisors Trump has replaced or fired. The first was retired Gen. Mike Flynn, followed by H.R. McMaster and John Bolton. The final security advisor of Trump’s first term was Robert O’Brien.
‘From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first,’ Trump wrote in his post, referencing Waltz’s service as a Green Beret.
‘I know he will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’
‘As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress,’ Trump wrote, explaining the decision.
Waltz reposted the president’s statement on X.
Waltz looks at his phone as he prepares for a TV interview at the White House on Thursday immediately before his firing
Marco Rubio, who spoke forcefully at Wednesday’s cabinet meeting while refusing to reveal if there are talks to bring back a man mistakenly deported to Venezuela, will take on the security advisor role on a temporary basis
‘I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation,’ he said.
Waltz suffered public humiliation from the scandal especially after his embarrassing Fox News interview in which he tried to to explain the mistake.
It also damaged his reputation in the West Wing.
Waltz took responsibility for the mistake, but struggled to explain how Goldberg’s number was in his phone to begin with, even as he stressed that he had never spoken to him before.
‘Well, if you have somebody else’s contact and then it, and then somehow it gets sucked in,’ he said to Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Trump gave Waltz a less than enthusiastic endorsement in an interview with The Atlantic last week.
‘Waltz is fine. I mean, he’s here. He just left this office,’ Trump said. ‘He’s fine. He was beat up also.’