Washington D.C. – In a significant advancement, Mike Waltz, a former commando and Congressman from Florida, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The nomination comes amidst a period of intense scrutiny for the UN and follows a previous instance where Trump withdrew a nomination for a similar position, citing the need to maintain the Republican majority in the House of Representatives for legislative priorities.
During a recent Senate hearing, Waltz articulated a strong stance on the UN’s role, accusing the institution of abandoning its conciliatory mission. “We should have one place in the world where everyone can talk; where China, Russia, Europe and developing countries can accumulate and solve problems,” Waltz stated, emphasizing the need for a platform for global dialog. He further declared his intention to veto any UN resolutions that are critical of Israel and leveled serious accusations against the organization, asserting that “anti-Semitism has taken root in its structures.”
A key focus of Waltz’s criticism was the UN relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He alleged that UNRWA members were involved in Hamas attacks against israel. This accusation echoes Israel’s decision in 2024 to ban UNRWA’s activities within its borders, citing the organization’s alleged bias and its employees’ purported cooperation with terrorists.
Waltz also addressed the UN’s approach to China and called for a reform of the organization’s peacekeeping bodies and missions. His overarching goal, he stated, is to “make the UN great again,” a clear echo of President Trump’s political slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
The nomination of Waltz to this crucial diplomatic post follows his earlier appointment as a national security advisor by President Trump in early May. However, Waltz’s standing in the White house has reportedly been impacted by the “Signalgate” scandal. In that incident, Waltz inadvertently included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey goldberg, in a group chat where sensitive discussions about planned strikes in Yemen were taking place. Waltz maintained that the chat did not contain classified data and defended the use of the application, noting that no disciplinary action was initiated by the White House against chat participants, although the Department of Defense was reportedly conducting its own examination.
