Top Trump administration officials including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (L), Vice President JD Vance (C), and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (R) were all in the chat group
Top Trump administration officials including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (L), Vice President JD Vance (C), and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (R) were all in the Signal chat group. AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Marco Rubio will replace Waltz in an interim role, Trump announced late Thursday
  • Tim Walz, Sen. Adam Schiff, and several other Democrats celebrated Waltz's removal
  • Democratic leaders now want Hegseth to also be removed from his Defense Secretary role

Former U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has been in the headlines overnight for getting ousted from his position just over 100 days since President Donald Trump took over the White House, and Democrats wasted no time to troll the troubled official.

Waltz has been trending on Google and X overnight following news that he was leaving the administration. Trump soon took to his Truth Social account to confirm that Waltz will be replaced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interim role.

The ousted former Army Special Forces officer will take on another role as Trump nominated him to become his government's U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

While Trump defended his ex-security adviser, it is worth noting that the president has been criticized in recent weeks for allowing Waltz to keep his position despite the revelations around "Signalgate," wherein he and other top cabinet members used a commercial messaging app to discuss a U.S. counterattack against Yemeni Houthi rebels.

Other reports revealed that Waltz's team created over a dozen Signal group chats to discuss national security topics and others on foreign policy, triggering more criticism not only toward Waltz but the broader Trump administration.

Dems celebrate Waltz's removal

Following Trump's confirmation of earlier reports that Waltz has been removed from the key security position, several Democrats came out to celebrate the news.

"Mike Waltz has left the chat," Minnesota Gov. and former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz wrote on X.

His post has gained over three million views as of early Friday as X users also called for the removal of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was also involved in the "Signalgate" debacle.

Mike Nellis, a former senior advisor to ex-Vice President Kamala Harris, said Waltz's firing "is an admission of guilt by the administration about the leaking of classified war plans."

Like many others, Nellis wants Hegseth to be fired next.

Democratic lawmakers demand Hegseth's firing

Sen. Adam Schiff of California criticized Trump for taking over a month before holding anyone accountable in the "Signalgate fiasco." He also wants Hegseth to be axed.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois said that even if Waltz has been removed, the American people shouldn't be distracted "from the real national security threat still in office," which the Democratic congressman said was Hegseth.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said Hegseth only passed the blame to Waltz and should be held accountable for the alleged second Signal group chat wherein some of his family members were included.

Trump has yet to address the matter regarding Hegseth's removal now that he is moving Waltz to a diplomatic role.

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