Trump’s NSA Waltz Steps Down Amid Signal App Scandal

According to U.S. media sources, Mike Waltz, the National Security Advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, and Alex Wong, his deputy, are leaving their positions. The departure follows a scandal around an accidental leak about U.S. airstrikes in Yemen via a Signal app communication.

Waltz and Wong will both be leaving their jobs, according to a report from CBS News on Thursday. The information was also reported by Fox News, which also noted that President Trump is anticipated to speak up on the issue shortly. As of yet, the White House has not released a formal statement.

Mike Waltz, 51, a former Republican congressman from Florida, became the first high-ranking official to exit the administration during Trump's second term-a term that has otherwise remained relatively stable in terms of personnel changes compared to the first.

Waltz faced internal criticism after a March incident when he mistakenly added a journalist, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a private Signal chat involving Trump's top national security team. The chat contained sensitive details, including the exact timing for U.S. warplanes to launch airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen. The leak occurred roughly 30 minutes before the scheduled attack, sparking widespread concern about operational security and discretion within Trump's national security apparatus.

While the Trump administration has attempted to minimize the significance of the leak-claiming that no concrete war plans were revealed-the situation has visibly escalated. With the confirmed exits of both Waltz and Wong, it appears the administration is now taking decisive action to address internal breaches and maintain tighter control over sensitive communications.

An unnamed White House official, speaking to AFP, neither confirmed nor denied the reports but suggested they did not want to pre-empt any formal announcements. Meanwhile, scrutiny remains high as observers await Trump's official remarks on the matter.