President Donald Trump is planning to oust national security adviser Mike Waltz, who has lost the confidence of other administration officials, according to three people familiar with the decision.
The ouster could happen imminently but is not final, the people said. All were granted anonymity to discuss information that is not public.
Names for a replacement have been discussed around the West Wing for weeks, but the plans to remove Waltz potentially as soon as this week gained steam in recent days, according to two of the people and another person close to the White House.
It is unclear who would step in to lead the influential White House National Security Council if Waltz is removed. Currently, a leading pick is Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff who is shepherding negotiations with Russia, Iran and Hamas in Gaza, according to the three people familiar with the decision to remove Waltz.
Asked for comment, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “We are not going to respond to reporting from anonymous sources.”