‘Should I Fire Him’: Trump Discusses NSA Mike Waltz's Future With Top Officials After Signal Chat Leak

This comes after the Trump administration was embroiled in a controversy as Waltz accidentally added The Atlantic journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the Signal group where top members of the government were members to discuss Yemen military operation.

Trump’s Position On Controversy In Public And In Private

Though Trump has publicly extended support to Waltz while also slamming the media. He described his NSA as a “good man" who needed no apology, after The Atlantic journalist’s article detailing his inclusion in the group.

However, behind closed doors, Trump has reportedly sought counsel from various people within and outside his administration over taking appropriate action for this incident.

He told his allies that he was unhappy with the media coverage of the scandal but did not want to it seem like he was succumbing to the press pressure. He also indicated that he was unsure about dismissing senior officials early in his second term, according to the NYT.

The main concern for him appeared not to be Waltz’s discussion of military plans on a social media platform but rather his possible link to the journalist, who Trump reportedly dislikes.

He expressed concerns about the Washington journalist’s contact number being in his NSA’s phone.

Trump Consults His Top Members Over Controversy

According to the report, Trump consulted Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Sergio Gor, and United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and others to clear their views on the Waltz controversy.

After a meeting with Waltz in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump indicated by the next morning that he was willing to retain the NSA, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Before the Signal incident, Waltz was criticised for his aggressive approach, especially toward Iran, which clashed with Trump’s preference for diplomacy. The Goldberg connection further fueled his critics’ arguments.

Some Trump allies doubted whether Waltz, a former official in George W. Bush’s administration, fully supported the President’s foreign policy goals. Sources said that there were tensions between Vance and Wiles over Iran policy.

Despite the chat leak controversy, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly remains secure in his position as he retains Trump’s support even after sharing Yemen strike details on the Signal group.