Trump picks Rep. Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser
NBCNOV 2024
Trump Makes Major Selections for Security, Foreign Policy Posts
Above: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks before former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends during a town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 14, 2024. Image copyright: Jim Watson/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Americans voted for Trump because they want their country to be strong at home and abroad, and Trump is acknowledging that mandate. With Rubio and Waltz protecting the US against China, and Stephen Miller and Tom Homan cracking down on Biden's open border, the country is massively upgrading its national security. Trump is putting America first across the board.
Democratic narrative
Donald Trump wasn't lying when he promised to rule with force. He's appointed the most hardline officials to conduct deportation schemes and similarly hawkish politicians to run foreign relations. The US is about to lose any semblance of decency as Trump targets immigrants at home and the most vulnerable abroad.
Establishment-critical narrative
If anyone expected Trump to keep war hawks and neocons out of his new government, they would be disappointed. With Mike Waltz as his national security advisor, Marco Rubio as secretary of state, and Elise Stefanik as UN Ambassador, Americans can expect the conflicts in the Middle East to continue over the next four years.