With an additional role in his portfolio, Rubio rises within Trump’s circle.
In the sweltering Rose Garden on Thursday, while President Donald Trump elaborated on revitalizing trust in the White House, he paused to highlight a man seated right at the front.
“When I encounter an issue, I reach out to Marco,” Trump informed his audience, directing his gesture toward Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “He resolves it. ”
Unbeknownst to the sweat-drenched dignitaries gathered for the president’s occasion, Trump had recently been addressing a new dilemma with his top diplomat: national security adviser Mike Waltz, whom he had come to distrust and who’d lost the faith of much of the West Wing.
The issue had been brewing for weeks after Waltz accidentally included a journalist in a Signal group chat to discuss a military operation in Yemen. Now it was no longer viable, according to sources familiar with the situation. This week, he had already decided that Waltz should not accompany him to Michigan, where the president announced new investments in an Air National Guard base. Waltz had flown with him to Joint Base Andrews on his helicopter but remained behind on the tarmac as Air Force One departed for Detroit.
For weeks, Trump had been indecisive, cautious about seeming to yield to public pressure and repeating a pattern of dismissing national security advisers that gave his first term an air of disorder. He also wanted to avoid giving his adversaries a perceived victory by yielding to their requests. However, after 100 days in office, without any significant staff changes, Trump appeared ready to make a decisive move.
It turned out Rubio, who always “resolves it,” was indeed the answer.
Announcing via social media that Waltz would be leaving his West Wing office to be nominated as ambassador to the United Nations, Trump stated that Rubio would be stepping in, taking on the vital role on an interim basis in addition to his existing position and several other acting roles.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter! ” Trump tweeted. As he left the White House later Thursday afternoon, he did not pause to elaborate on his decision further.
The reshuffling in Trump’s national security team sends Waltz into a confirmation process he never sought, with the reward being a position he never particularly desired. The five-bedroom, $15 million Manhattan penthouse designated for the UN ambassador may be luxurious, but at 230 miles from the West Wing, it might as well be on another planet in an administration where closeness to the president can mean everything.
For Rubio, this was the most recent indication of his rising status as one of Trump’s most trusted allies, marking the latest development in their decade-long transition from fierce competitors to devoted supporters. Advisors for both Trump and Rubio maintained that Rubio was entirely capable of managing both responsibilities for the time being. The last individual to attempt this was Henry Kissinger, the envoy for Nixon and Ford who navigated numerous issues – particularly the Vietnam War – from both the White House and the State Department.
Most secretaries of state spend their time traveling extensively to foreign capitals. However, Rubio has consistently preferred not to be away from Washington for more than a few days at a stretch, opting instead to remain close to the president. Similar to many other Cabinet members, he frequents the White House nearly every day, even while special envoy Steve Witkoff travels globally seeking to make deals.
It is still uncertain whether Rubio’s new position will be temporary or if he will hold both roles for a prolonged time, as Kissinger did during the Nixon and Ford administrations, where he served six years as national security adviser and four as secretary.
The president took prompt action on Thursday with new assignments for Waltz and Rubio to mitigate the narrative of staff dysfunction and chaos that frequently characterized his first term in office. However, this decision results in Rubio taking on multiple roles, including acting USAID administrator and acting archivist of the United States.
The announcement from the White House took the State Department by surprise on Thursday afternoon, with spokeswoman Tammy Bruce appearing bewildered as she learned of the news during a televised briefing.
“It is evident that I just heard this from you,” Bruce remarked to CNN’s Kylie Atwood at State Department headquarters in Foggy Bottom. “This is an exhilarating moment here. As I know Secretary Rubio, this is a man who I think you all recognize has held various positions since Day 1. ”
Fully aware that his influence had been diminishing in the West Wing, Waltz also seemed caught off guard by the timing. He appeared on Fox News Thursday morning, discussing Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and the rest of his portfolio, supporting Trump’s actions.
“Enough is enough,” Waltz stated during his morning segment, “the president has been clear and direct. ”
Afterward, he walked straight into the West Wing, disregarding reporters who were waiting to interview him regarding foreign policy. Later that morning, Trump informed him of his upcoming departure, a White House official shared with CNN.
Trump’s choice to find a new role for Waltz within the administration created a different type of dismissal compared to the three national security advisers he dismissed during his first term. Two of them, John Bolton and HR McMaster, authored books that criticized Trump; retaining Waltz on the payroll could help prevent further estrangement.
A former Green Beret and Republican House representative from Florida, Waltz certainly did not approach his position as an inconsequential figure. His exit, along with his Deputy Alex Wong arrives at a time of increasing urgency amidst ceasefire discussions between Russia and Ukraine, the continuing chaos in Gaza, and numerous other challenges, including other highly classified threats confronting the United States.
In many respects, foreign policy has become a source of annoyance for Trump, as his attempts to mediate an end to the conflict in Ukraine falter while top officials experience difficulties initiating trade discussions with China. Even an issue Trump often highlights – US strikes against Houthis in Yemen – has come under scrutiny for its inability to dismantle the Iran-backed rebel faction.
This week, a US aircraft carrier had to make a sharp maneuver to evade incoming Houthi fire, resulting in a fighter jet plunging overboard. Waltz advocated for the Houthi mission despite the initial objections from other officials, including Vice President JD Vance, according to the Signal group chat, which contributed to Waltz’s removal. Waltz’s situation contrasts significantly with that of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who disclosed sensitive information in the chat regarding the offensive strategies against the Houthis.
Subsequently, it was disclosed that Hegseth shared analogous information in another chat that involved his wife and brother. The president reportedly came to perceive Waltz and Hegseth through an entirely different perspective, according to sources familiar with the situation, despite both playing central roles in the Signal incident that emerged as one of the first significant scandals of the new Trump administration.
While Trump did not believe Hegseth demonstrated sound judgment in falling short by sharing the Yemen war plan in at least two group chats, sources suggest he felt his defense secretary should not face dismissal after expending considerable political capital to secure his confirmation.
Hegseth was alongside Trump on that Air Force One flight to Michigan on Tuesday, in the Cabinet Room the following day, and again on Thursday in the Rose Garden, where Trump delivered another enthusiastic endorsement: “Pete Hegseth, who’s doing a fantastic job. ”
Hegseth has been enjoying broader support from the Trump administration that inspired MAGA movement campaign. As for Waltz, he messed up who was considered with quite of mistrust by many.
Waltz could likewise be removed without the concern of another confirmation battle, as the national security adviser position does not require Senate confirmation. The president was never able to move past the issue of how Waltz allowed Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic into the group chat in the first place, according to those familiar with the matter.
Even though Trump met with Goldberg for an interview last week, he remains extremely suspicious of and infuriated by Goldberg’s prior Atlantic reporting on the first Trump administration. Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, also failed to support Waltz, according to sources familiar with the issue, despite their shared ties to Florida. Wiles has instructed Hegseth and the Pentagon to enhance their performance, emphasizing that there is “no room for more mistakes or embarrassments. “
On Thursday, while Trump addressed the audience beneath the scorching midday sun in the Rose Garden, Wiles remained in the West Colonnade’s shade, observing the scene through reflective aviator glasses.
During most of the event, Rubio and Hegseth sat in the sun, attentively listening as Trump transitioned from one subject to another throughout the hour. Once the prayer session finished, Rubio picked up his phone and rushed into the shade, fixated on the screen. Waltz was absent from sight.
