Secretary of State Marco Rubio will take the vacant position in the interim

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Mike Waltz will leave his position as national security adviser. The president said on Thursday that he would nominate Waltz as the next American envoy to the UN, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio will take over his duties "in the interim." 

"I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday as he praised Waltz's record as an army veteran, a member of Congress, and national security adviser.

The president did not elaborate on whether Waltz had already left his post or would do so in the near future. Instead, he said that Rubio would temporarily fill the position "while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department." He did not name any potential picks to replace Waltz on a permanent basis.

Earlier on Thursday, Fox News reported that Waltz had been fired earlier the same day. The broadcaster did not name the reasons for his dismissal but pointed to the role he had played in the so-called 'Signalgate' scandal in March.

An editor from The Atlantic magazine had gained access to an internal chat involving senior Trump administration members discussing a strike against Yemeni Houthi militants, prompting the media outlet to run a story about it. The leak was then attributed to Waltz, who mistakenly saved the contact of the journalist under an incorrect name and invited him to the chat. The official later admitted his mistake in an interview with Fox and said he took "full responsibility" for it.

Later on Thursday, Axios reported, citing White House sources, that Waltz had not left his position yet, but is expected to do so in the near future.

Politico identified Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff as a "leading pick" to replace Waltz. CNN journalist Alayna Treene claimed, citing her sources close to Witkoff, that he is not interested in taking the position and his team does not expect him to be chosen by Trump.