Mike Waltz: From Green Beret to National Security Adviser – A Career Marked by Valor and Controversy

# Mike Waltz: From Green Beret to National Security Adviser – A Career Marked by Valor and Controversy

**Introduction**

Michael George Glen Waltz, born January 31, 1974, in Boynton Beach, Florida, has lived a life defined by service, ambition, and, at times, controversy. A decorated Army Special Forces officer, a three-term U.S. congressman, and briefly the National Security Adviser to President Donald Trump in 2025, Waltz’s career trajectory is a compelling blend of military valor, political hawkishness, and a high-profile misstep that led to his resignation. This article explores Waltz’s journey, from his early days in Jacksonville to his brief tenure in the Trump administration, culminating in the Signal chat leak scandal that ended his role as a key national security figure.

**Early Life and Military Service**

Raised by a single mother in Jacksonville, Florida, Waltz graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School in 1992. His path to leadership began at the Virginia Military Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in international studies in 1996, graduating with honors as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Commissioned as an armor officer in the U.S. Army, Waltz later attended Ranger School and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2000, becoming a Green Beret.

Waltz’s 27-year military career included multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. As a Special Forces officer, he earned four Bronze Stars, two for valor, reflecting his courage under fire. His service extended beyond the battlefield, as he served in the George W. Bush administration as a defense policy director at the Pentagon and a counterterrorism adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. These roles honed his expertise in national security, setting the stage for his later political career.

**Political Ascent: From Congress to National Prominence**

In 2018, Waltz entered politics, winning the U.S. House seat for Florida’s 6th Congressional District, succeeding Ron DeSantis, who became Florida’s governor. As the first Green Beret elected to Congress, Waltz brought a unique perspective to Washington. Representing a district that includes Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, he was re-elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024, each time securing over 60% of the vote.

In Congress, Waltz served on the Armed Services, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs committees, chairing the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness in the 118th Congress. Known for his hawkish stance on China, he viewed the Chinese Communist Party as engaged in a cold war with the U.S. In 2021, he became the first congressman to call for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, citing the CCP’s human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. His outspokenness made him a prominent voice in Republican foreign policy circles.

Waltz’s political record wasn’t without controversy. In December 2020, he joined 126 House Republicans in signing an amicus brief supporting *Texas v. Pennsylvania*, a lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election results. The Supreme Court dismissed the case, and the *Orlando Sentinel* rescinded its endorsement of Waltz, stating, “We had no idea... that Waltz was not committed to democracy.” Despite this, Waltz voted to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory, navigating the delicate balance of Republican loyalty and institutional duty.

**National Security Adviser: A Brief and Turbulent Tenure**

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump appointed Waltz as National Security Adviser for his second term, praising him as a “nationally recognized leader in national security” and an expert on threats from China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism. Waltz resigned his House seat and assumed the role on January 20, 2025, succeeding Jake Sullivan. His tenure, however, lasted just over 100 days, marred by a significant security breach that exposed vulnerabilities in the Trump administration’s communication practices.

Waltz’s approach to national security was rooted in his military and congressional experience. He favored a “peace through strength” policy, aligning with Trump’s America First agenda while maintaining a traditional Republican hawk’s perspective on issues like Ukraine and Iran. Reports indicate he established at least 20 Signal group chats to discuss sensitive topics, including Ukraine, China, Gaza, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, building the National Security Council’s communication process around the encrypted messaging app.

**The Signal Chat Leak: A Career-Ending Blunder**

On March 24, 2025, *The Atlantic* editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a bombshell article revealing he was inadvertently added to a Signal group chat titled “Houthi PC small group” by a user identified as Mike Waltz. The chat included high-ranking Trump officials, such as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The group discussed operational details of U.S. airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, executed on March 15, 2025.

Goldberg’s account described Waltz instructing his deputy, Alex Wong, to form a “tiger team” for Houthi coordination, with Hegseth sharing missile targets and strike timing hours before the attack. While the White House confirmed the chat’s authenticity, officials, including Waltz, insisted no classified information was shared. Goldberg withheld some messages, citing potential risks to U.S. personnel, but later released unredacted content after administration denials.

Waltz’s response was a mix of accountability and deflection. On March 25, 2025, during an appearance on Fox News’ *The Ingraham Angle*, he took “full responsibility” for creating the chat but denied knowing Goldberg, calling him “the bottom scum of journalists” and suggesting his number was “sucked in” via another contact. He claimed to have consulted Elon Musk’s “best technical minds” to investigate. Goldberg refuted Waltz’s claim of no prior contact, stating on NBC’s *Meet the Press*, “Phone numbers don’t just get sucked into other phones,” and implying a simpler explanation—likely a mistake by Waltz.

The fallout was swift. Democrats, including Senators Mark Warner and Elizabeth Warren, called for Waltz’s resignation, citing national security risks. Reports surfaced that Waltz used personal Gmail accounts for government communications, further fueling criticism. His public Venmo account, revealing connections to journalists and officials, raised additional concerns about his security practices. While Trump publicly defended Waltz, calling the incident a “glitch” with “no impact,” private frustrations mounted. Trump was reportedly upset that Waltz had Goldberg’s number and wary of appearing to cave to media pressure by firing him.

**Resignation and Legacy**

On May 1, 2025, Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, resigned, marking the first major casualty of Trump’s second-term cabinet. While official reasons were not confirmed, the Signal chat leak was widely cited as a decisive factor. *Politico* reported that Trump’s team debated Waltz’s fate, with allies like Laura Loomer pushing for his removal. Waltz’s hawkish views, misaligned with some MAGA isolationists, and prior tensions with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles may have contributed to his exit.

Waltz’s brief tenure underscores the challenges of managing national security in a politically charged environment. His military and congressional record reflects a commitment to U.S. strength, but his reliance on unsecured platforms like Signal and Gmail exposed vulnerabilities. The incident sparked broader debates about government communication security and records preservation, with implications for future administrations.

**Conclusion**

Mike Waltz’s career is a testament to resilience, from combat zones to Capitol Hill, but his legacy is now tied to a high-profile error that compromised trust. As he steps away from public office, questions linger about his next chapter and the lessons learned by those who follow. His story serves as a cautionary tale about the intersection of technology, security, and politics in an era of heightened scrutiny.