INTERNACIONAL
Hegseth, Signal questions dog Waltz as potentially perilous UN ambassador confirmation hearings loom
The same day that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz exited his job at the White House, President Donald Trump announced a new job offer for the former Florida congressman: United Nations ambassador.
But there are some hurdles Waltz must clear first before the New York job is his — including undergoing a Senate confirmation process amid scrutiny after the Atlantic magazine exposed a Signal group chat that his team had set up to discuss strikes against the Houthis in March.
And receiving full support from the slim Republican majority in the Senate isn’t guaranteed, and not all Republicans got on board backing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Vice President JD Vance ultimately cast the tie-breaking vote securing Hegseth’s nomination.
Democrats appear hungry to use Waltz’s nomination as a forum to air grievances against other foreign policy leaders in the Trump administration — particularly Hegseth.
NEXT US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? HERE’S WHOM TRUMP MIGHT PICK TO REPLACE WALTZ
U.S. national security advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stand, as U.S. President Donald Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Feb. 24, 2025. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)
Still, Waltz’s nomination to represent the U.S. at the U.N. will likely attract support from establishment Republicans in the Senate who weren’t on board with Hegseth in the Pentagon, given that the ideological divide between these Republicans and Waltz is much smaller than it was in Hegseth’s case, according to one Florida GOP source.
«He’s been able to thread the needle really, really well between traditional conservative foreign policy voices and the more populist America First policy voices,» the Florida GOP source said of Waltz.
HEAT ON WALTZ
Waltz, who previously represented Florida’s 6th congressional district, is a retired Army National Guard colonel and former Green Beret who served four deployments to Afghanistan and earned four Bronze Stars — the fourth-highest military combat award, issued for heroic service against an armed enemy.
While Waltz and Hegseth both were embroiled in the Signal chat discussing strike plans against the Houthis, Hegseth has attracted more of the heat, at least publicly, stemming from the incident. Democrats have called for Hegseth’s resignation as a result of the chat, but staffers at the White House — including Waltz — have openly backed Hegseth and shut down reports that the administration is seeking his replacement.
But Waltz could get his turn attracting the ire of lawmakers as Democrats find an opportunity to openly grill him in front of the Senate, amid displeasure with Trump’s foreign policy and national security agenda.
«The second hundred days of national security under President Trump will apparently be just as chaotic as the first hundred,» Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said in a statement to Fox News Digital about Waltz’s departure from the White House.
«President Trump’s consistent hirings, firings and upheaval sap morale from our warfighters and intelligence officers, degrade our military readiness, and leave us less prepared to respond to threats from our adversaries,» Coons said. «American citizens at home and around the world are less safe because of President Trump’s non-existent national security strategy.»
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also took aim at Waltz — although she labeled Hegseth the worst offender affiliated with «Signalgate.»
MIKE WALTZ, OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFFERS OUT IN LATEST TRUMP PURGE FOLLOWING SIGNAL CHAT LEAK
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also took aim at former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz — although she labeled Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth the worst offender affiliated with «Signalgate.» (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«Took them long enough. Mike Waltz knowingly made an unclassified chain to discuss classified matters,» Duckworth said in a Thursday X post ahead of Waltz’s U.N. ambassador nomination. «But of all the idiots in that chat, Hegseth is the biggest security risk of all—he leaked the info that put our troops in greater danger. Fire and investigate them all.»
In addition to the Signal chat, Waltz’s exit from the White House was tied to several other issues. For example, Axios reports that Waltz treated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles like «staff,» and his disrespect rubbed her the wrong way.
«He treated her like staff and didn’t realize he’s the staff, she’s the embodiment of the president,» a White House official told Axios. «Susie is a deeply loyal person and the disrespect was made all the worse because it was disloyal.»
Waltz reportedly discussed different roles he could take on following his stint at the White House with Wiles, according to CBS News. Waltz was reportedly offered jobs, including the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, but ultimately settled on U.N. ambassador.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
NEXT STEPS
With Waltz out as national security advisor, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily step into that role.
While Trump originally nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to represent the U.S. at the U.N., he rescinded her nomination in March, citing that the House could not afford to lose another Republican seat.
Stefanik’s nomination lagged in the Senate in comparison to other U.N. ambassador nominees, including Trump’s first U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. The Senate confirmed Haley in January, just after Trump’s first inauguration.
While the exact timeline for a potential confirmation vote in the Senate is unclear, the first hurdle that Waltz must clear is a confirmation vote out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Although it is uncertain when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will schedule the nomination hearing for Waltz and the subsequent vote, the committee said his nomination is a «priority.»
«The committee has been working at a historically fast pace and this nomination will be a priority moving forward,» a GOP staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told Fox News Digital.
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Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., meets with Republican Sen. John Barasso of Wyoming. (Office of Rep. Elise Stefanik)
The 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled for September 9, so there are a few months for Waltz’s confirmation to play out, the Florida GOP source said. That means that Waltz could take a few months off, start the confirmation process in June or July and wrap up his confirmation by September at the latest, the source said.
«He’s got plenty of time. So, this isn’t a looming fight that’s going to happen next week,» the Florida GOP source said. «This is going to play out probably in June or July, which by then, people are going to forget about the Signalgate stuff, or at the very, very least, they’re going to forget about Mike Waltz’s role in it.»
But there are a few Republican wildcards in the Senate who have voted against several of Trump’s nominees, most prominently Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who voted against Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in January. (J. Scott Applewhite/the Associated Press)
A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Other Republicans who have opposed Trump nominees include Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, both of whom voted against Hegseth, as well as Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, both of whom voted against Chavez-DeRemer.
Aside from former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., whom Trump initially nominated to serve as attorney general, Trump’s entire cabinet has been approved. Gaetz withdrew his nomination amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into sexual misconduct and drug-use allegations.
Despite opposition from Democrats, and possibly a few Republicans, it appears unlikely that any fire that Waltz will face will sink his nomination.
«The reality of it is, the president can lose three votes in the Senate, and the vice president can still vote to break a tie,» the Florida GOP source said. «There’s no way he’s probably going to lose three votes.»
Meanwhile, other Republicans have openly stated they endorse Waltz’s nomination, including Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Risch, R-Idaho, who lauded Trump’s decision to nominate Waltz for the role.
Vice President JD Vance sits for an interview with Fox News’ chief political anchor Bret Baier in South Carolina, where he addressed Waltz’s nomination to represent the U.S. at the United Nations. (Fox News/Special Report)
«Great choices. America is safer and stronger under President Trump and his national security team,» Risch said in a Thursday X post. «I thank Mike Waltz for his service as NSA, and look forward to taking up his nomination in our committee.»
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also posted on X on Friday that Waltz would be confirmed «for sure.»
Vance also voiced support for Waltz and billed the nomination as a «promotion,» pushing back on any suggestions that Waltz’s removal amounted to a firing.
«Donald Trump has fired a lot of people,» Vance said in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier Thursday. «He doesn’t give them Senate-confirmed appointments afterward. What he thinks is that Mike Waltz is going to better serve the administration, most importantly, the American people in that role.»
Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
White House,Pete Hegseth,U.S. Defense & Military Politics,Secretary of Defense,Donald Trump
INTERNACIONAL
Canadá evaluó su posible participación militar en la guerra de Irán: “Nunca se puede descartar categóricamente”
El primer ministro de Canadá, Mark Carney, afirmó que no podría descartar la participación militar de su país en la creciente guerra en Medio Oriente.
En una visita a Australia, marcada por la expansión del conflicto tras el ataque estadounidense-israelí que abatió al líder supremo iraní, Ali Khamenei, Carney fue consultado en Canberra junto al primer ministro local, Anthony Albanese, sobre la posibilidad de una intervención canadiense.
“Nunca se puede descartar categóricamente la participación”, declaró Carney, aunque calificó la cuestión de “hipotética”. En ese sentido, afirmó que Canadá apoyará a sus aliados e hizo hincapié en que “siempre defenderá a los canadienses” en primer lugar.
El líder del Partido Liberal canadiense calificó previamente los ataques contra Irán como “incompatibles con el derecho internacional”, pero expresó su respaldo a los esfuerzos para impedir que el régimen iraní obtenga armas nucleares, posición que adoptó “con pesar” al considerarla un reflejo del fracaso del orden internacional.
Carney reiteró su llamado a la “desescalada” del conflicto. Su viaje por Asia y el Pacífico busca reducir la dependencia de Estados Unidos y fortalecer lazos con otros países de “potencia media”. En el Parlamento australiano, instó a estas naciones a cooperar para influir en las nuevas reglas del sistema internacional, advirtiendo que “las grandes potencias pueden obligar, pero la coacción tiene costos”.
El primer ministro anunció la unión de Canadá y Australia como “colaboradores estratégicos” para aprovechar sus recursos minerales de tierras raras y detalló acuerdos en defensa e inteligencia artificial. “Sabemos que debemos trabajar con otros que comparten nuestros valores para construir capacidades sólidas”, dijo, alertando sobre el riesgo de quedar “atrapados entre los hiperescaladores y los hegemones”.
El líder canadiense expresó el sábado pasado el respaldo de Canadá a los ataques lanzados por Estados Unidos e Israel contra el régimen ayatollah, al que calificó como “principal fuente de inestabilidad y terrorismo en todo Medio Oriente”.
En primer lugar, reafirmó, el mismo día que estalló el conflicto, “el derecho de Israel a defenderse y a garantizar la seguridad de su población”. “Canadá respalda la actuación de Estados Unidos para impedir que Irán obtenga un arma nuclear y para evitar que su régimen siga amenazando la paz y la seguridad internacionales”, sostuvo en un comunicado.
Carney subrayó que la posición de Canadá “sigue siendo clara”: “La República Islámica de Irán es la principal fuente de inestabilidad y terrorismo en todo Medio Oriente, tiene uno de los peores historiales de derechos humanos del mundo y nunca debe permitírsele obtener o desarrollar armas nucleares”.
Carney destacó que, pese a los intentos diplomáticos, Irán “no desmanteló por completo su programa nuclear, no ha detenido todas las actividades de enriquecimiento ni ha puesto fin a su apoyo a grupos terroristas regionales que actúan como fuerzas subsidiarias”.
Finalmente, el primer ministro manifestó su solidaridad con el pueblo iraní “en su larga y valiente lucha contra el régimen opresivo de Irán”.
Ese mismo día, el presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, advirtió que la escalada en Medio Oriente es “peligrosa para todos”. En un mensaje publicado en X, el mandatario señaló que el “desencadenamiento de la guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irán tiene graves consecuencias para la paz y la seguridad internacional”.
“La escalada actual es peligrosa para todos. Debe cesar. El régimen iraní debe comprender que ya no le queda otra opción que entablar negociaciones de buena fe para poner fin a su programa nuclear y balístico, así como a sus acciones de desestabilización regional”, sostuvo Macron.
(Con información de AFP)
Domestic,Politics,North America,Government / Politics
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American stealth bombers are expected to land at U.K. military bases within days to join the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, according to reports.
Citing unnamed senior Western officials, The Telegraph reported Wednesday that air bases at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are being readied for the arrival of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers — the $2 billion strategic bomber is also known as the world’s most expensive aircraft.
The bombers are understood to be landing at the U.K. bases «in a matter of days» as Washington intensifies operations in the region, the outlet reported.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the U.S. military used stealth B-2 bombers to strike Iranian ballistic missile facilities Feb. 28 as part of the launch of Operation Epic Fury.
Diego Garcia is a strategic Indian Ocean base hosting 2,500 US military personnel. (Reuters)
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that B-2 stealth bombers, which were equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, struck Iranian «hardened» ballistic missile sites.
The U.S. was cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iran’s missile capabilities on Feb. 29 after Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed off on the plan, and while U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey stated Britain had «stepped up alongside the Americans.»
Starmer said the authorization was granted to protect U.K. and U.S. allies as the conflict escalated. He had previously said he would not allow American forces to use U.K. bases for offensive operations in the region.
Tensions have since been heightened in the U.K. by security incidents in Cyprus. RAF Akrotiri, a key British military base on the island, was struck by a suspected drone on March 2, causing minor damage.
IRAN’S DRONE SWARM ATTACKS UNLEASH ‘EXPONENTIAL COSTS’ ON US, PROLONGING WAR: ‘ASYMMETRIC CAPABILITY’
Several B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers are seen on a runway at the Whiteman Air Force Base. (Whiteman Air Force Base)
The unmanned aircraft was reported to resemble an Iranian-made Shahed drone, similar to models used by Russia in Ukraine and by Tehran’s regional proxies.
The Ministry of Defense said force-protection measures were at the «highest level» and that the base had taken steps to defend personnel. About 4,000 service members and their families are based at RAF Akrotiri.
The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory for Cyprus to Level 3, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the threat of armed conflict and limited consular assistance in parts of the country.
Non-emergency embassy staff and family members were authorized to leave. Officials said the advisory change reflected adjustments in embassy operations rather than a direct change in underlying risk.
EX-CENTCOM CHIEF DETAILS ‘EXQUISITE INTELLIGENCE’ BEHIND IRAN STRIKES, SAYS NEXT STEPS HINGE ON ‘MISSILE MATH’
President Donald Trump blasted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer March 3, 2026, saying «this is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with,» amid a lack of support for the United States’ and Israel’s joint military operation against Iran. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images ; PA Images via Getty Images ; Jonathan Brady/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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Trump had called Britain «uncooperative» and slammed Starmer as «not Winston Churchill» after Starmer initially rebuffed a U.S. request to use U.K. bases to attack Iran, according to The Associated Press.
Trump has also condemned Britain’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base, to Mauritius.
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Unearthed video shows Dem candidate supporting ‘reallocation’ of police funding to social service programs
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A Democrat running for Congress in one of the most competitive seats in the country once said she would combat systematic racism by redirecting law enforcement funding when asked if she would «defund the police» in 2020.
«I support the reallocation of funding to programs that would allow people to live their best lives,» JoAnna Mendoza, a Marine veteran, told the Arizona Clean Elections Commission and Arizona Capitol Times at a town hall event.
«Such as social service programs. Such as housing, public education, healthcare, ensuring that we are addressing economic stability and environmental safety.»
JoAnna Mendoza, a candidate for Congress, is running in one of the country’s most competitive races in 2026. (Joanna Mendoza for Congress/YouTube screenshot)
Mendoza, who is running to represent Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, denied ever supporting defunding the police, according to her campaign.
«Jo Mendoza has been on the record for years that police need MORE resources to do their jobs – not less – including body cameras and training. And she has repeatedly stated that she does not support defunding the police,» Mendoza’s campaign said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
«Any other assertion is categorically false, a lie and a political smear from D.C. hacks hoping to save Juan Ciscomani from an early retirement,» the campaign said, referring to the GOP incumbent Mendoza is running against.
Mendoza did not clarify what she had meant by the 2020 statement. However, her campaign pointed to other comments she made in 2020.
«I do not support defunding the police. Police officers are being asked to do too much. They’re being asked to address issues because of the lack of resources in our communities,» Mendoza said in another virtual event that year.
The Republican National Committee slammed Mendoza in a statement to Fox News Digital.
«There’s no way for JoAnna Mendoza to spin her extreme anti-police views, and Arizonans will know that she sides with dangerous criminals over them,» Nick Poche, a spokesperson for the RNC, told Fox News Digital.
The «defund the police» platform, which at the time was championed by several progressive Democrats, has aged poorly, leading Republicans and Democrats to view mere mentions of the phrase as a political liability in 2026.
The movement first burst onto the scene through the outrage after the death of George Floyd, a Black Minnesota resident who died after a police arrest in which an officer pinned him to the ground by placing a knee on his neck for an extended period.
His death sparked an uproar in cities across the country over racism in law enforcement and whether police in America could do more to avoid violence during arrests.
DEMOCRATS WORRY ‘ABOLISH ICE’ SLOGAN WILL BACKFIRE POLITICALLY LIKE ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ DID
Demonstrators carry a banner during an «I Can’t Breathe» Silent March For Justice in Minneapolis March 7, 2021. (Emilie Richardson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Although the outrage over Floyd eventually subsided, many of the calls to divert resources away from police persisted as a Democratic platform, leading some cities like Minneapolis and Austin, Texas, to reduce their police budgets.
However, the movement began to draw ire from Democrats who feared the party had taken a stance that could be considered at odds with community safety and worsen their odds at the ballot box.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., the House Majority Whip under U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in 2021, said the phrase was «cutting the throats of the party.»
«We keep making that mistake. This foolishness about you got to be this progressive or that progressive,» Clyburn said.
TENNESSEE CANDIDATE BLASTS DEM OPPONENT’S ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ TWEETS CALLING TO DISSOLVE NASHVILLE POLICE
Other Democratic strategists, such as James Carville, have also condemned the platform.
Carville called the slogan «the three stupidest words in the English language» in interviews in 2024 and went as far as suggesting the slogan could have led to the loss of Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid against Donald Trump.
«We could never wash off the stench of it,» Carville added.
TLAIB-BACKED SENATE CANDIDATE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER DELETING ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
James Carville speaks onstage during Politicon at Music City Center in 2025. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Politicon)
Mendoza faces a tough race in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District. Ciscomani, the seat’s current incumbent, narrowly won election in 2024 in a 50%-47.5% victory over Democrat challenger Kirsten Engel.
The district is listed among the Cook Political Report’s most competitive races in 2026, earning one of the 18 seats with a «toss-up» designation.
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Poche believes Mendoza’s previous comments have just made her bid against Ciscomani harder.
«If the Democrats think a defund-the-police radical can beat him, they’re just plain stupid,» Poche said.
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congress,police and law enforcement,politics,democrats elections,arizona,elections
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