Trump taps strong China critic Mike Waltz for security advisor
President-elect Donald Trump from the USA has chosen Congressman Mike Waltz from Florida as his national security advisor, as reported by "The Wall Street Journal" on Monday. Waltz, a former Special Forces member, is known for his hard stance on China.
7:44 AM EST, November 12, 2024
Information about Waltz's nomination, citing confidential sources, was also provided by CNN and Reuters.
The 50-year-old Waltz is a retired colonel from the Green Berets, a Special Forces unit of the U.S. Army, and has been serving as a congressman from Florida since 2018. During the election campaign, he was one of Trump's main defenders on national security issues, especially in television media. He takes on one of the key roles in the administration, becoming the chief advisor responsible for foreign policy, alongside the Secretary of State.
Waltz admires Trump
Waltz was perceived as a "hawk" in policy toward Russia, China, and Iran, although over the past year he voted against a package of aid measures for Ukraine (despite supporting earlier packages). In a recent interview on NPR radio, the politician claimed that Trump's expressed desire for a quick end to the war in Ukraine is rational and argued that Trump would force Putin to negotiate by imposing sanctions on Russian oil and lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range weapons.
The politician described Russia as essentially a gas station armed with nuclear weapons, noting that Putin is currently selling more oil and gas than he was before the conflict. He argued that by ramping up domestic energy production and lifting the LNG export ban, Russia’s economy and war resources could be depleted swiftly. Just before the elections, he announced plans to impose sanctions on Chinese firms importing Russian oil.
The congressman admires Trump's approach to NATO and the requirement for Europe to increase its defense spending.
Waltz expressed that the United States needs to firmly communicate that it's time for allies to take greater responsibility for their security. Military alliances rely on mutual trust and reciprocal support. Highlighting allies' insufficient defense investment is not intended to provoke; it advocates for American taxpayers, who have shouldered the financial burden for an extended period. Waltz shared these views ahead of the NATO summit in Washington.
Waltz is the second Republican congressman appointed to a role in the Trump administration, which may temporarily weaken the expected Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
