Nov. 13 (UPI) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida as his national security advisor, stating the first Green Beret to be elected to Congress will be “a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength.”
The announcement was one of several cabinet appointments Trump made Tuesday as he filled out his domestic and security positions. Unlike many of those positions, the role of national security advisor does not require Congressional approval.
Waltz, who has served both in the White House and Department of Defense, said he was “deeply honored” by the appointment.
“There is no higher calling than defending our nation’s values, freedoms and the safety of every American,” he said on X.
“Together with President Trump and his team, we will confront the evolving challenges of today’s world and hold firm against those who would harm our way of life. Our nation deserves nothing less than bold, unwavering leadership and that’s what he will deliver.”
The appointment comes as the United States faces a multitude of crises across the globe over, including wars in the Middle East and Ukraine that threaten expand, as well as the growing alliances among China, North Korea and Russia.
Described as a China hawk, Waltz has accused Beijing of seeking “to dominate the world,” saying it is trying to create a “New World Order” with a subservient United States.
He also called for a boycott of the 2020 Winter Olympics held China, citing accusations that its government covered up the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other reasons, such as Beijing’s treatment of its Uyghur minorities.
Trump has signaled that he intends to take a hardline stance against China in his second administration, campaigning on imposing massive tariffs on imports from the country.
In his statement on Tuesday, Trump referred to Waltz as “an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism.”
“Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump said.
Waltz served 27 years in the U.S. Army and National Guard.
“I fully believe that America’s best days are still ahead, and that with President Trump’s America First Agenda, we will secure our freedoms and forge a future where our nation remains the land of the free, and the land looked to for leadership and courage by the world,” Waltz said on X.