OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Donald Trump has selected Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser as the president-elect continues to build his team ahead of his second term.
Waltz has been one of President-elect Trump’s most prominent surrogates during the 2024 campaign, leading military outreach efforts and assisting with the Veterans For Trump coalition, Fox News reported Monday evening.
The Florida congressman is the first retired Green Beret to serve in Congress and brings prior administration experience, having worked as a policy adviser to former Defense Secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Waltz being offered the role.
BREAKING.🚨
Donald Trump is picking Green Beret veteran and Florida congressman Michael Waltz for National Security Adviser.
Do you agree with Trump’s choice? pic.twitter.com/QwvO05OB40
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 11, 2024
Elevating a House lawmaker to the administration could complicate Republicans’ ability to govern the chamber, however.
Waltz represents a secure red district on the eastern Florida coast, making it unlikely to fall into Democratic hands. However, replacing a House member is a process that could take several weeks.
He’s the second GOP lawmaker to be tapped for Trump’s administration. Earlier Monday, the president-elect announced that he had picked Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the chamber’s fourth-ranking Republican, to be his UN ambassador.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to the New York Post.
The New York Republican confirmed the appointment to the same outlet.
“I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Stefanik told the Post. “During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate. President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.”
Stefanik is a regular presence on television, where she vigorously supports the GOP stance on various issues, such as Israel and what she calls the “Biden Crime Family.”
Reelected to her sixth term in the House last week, Stefanik made national headlines by questioning Ivy League university presidents over the surge in antisemitism on college campuses following the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.
“The work ahead is immense as we see antisemitism skyrocketing coupled with four years of catastrophically weak U.S. leadership that significantly weakened our national security and diminished our standing in the eyes of both allies and adversaries,” Stefanik added in her statement to the Post. “I stand ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength, leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations. ”
Trump, meanwhile, has picked immigration hardliner and former ICE chief Thomas Homan to serve as the next “border czar.”
“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job,” Trump announced on his Truth Social social media account.
Trump went on to say that the role of “border czar” is responsible for “the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,” in addition to the U.S. southern border with Mexico.
And, according to Tuesday reports, Trump will tap South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be his Department of Homeland Security secretary who, like Homan, has as a record of calling for strong enforcement of U.S. immigration and border security statutes.
