Just days before being publicly dismissed, Mike Waltz—then serving as National Security Advisor—found himself in an awkward and very public position: stranded on the tarmac as Donald Trump boarded Air Force One without him.
The moment, captured on video, quickly spread across news outlets, symbolizing the abrupt and dramatic way things have shifted for Waltz.
Left Behind at the Plane
The scene unfolded at Joint Base Andrews after Waltz and Trump had flown in together on Marine One.
With a briefcase in hand, Waltz approached the stairs to board Air Force One—but was stopped in his tracks.
A Trump aide redirected him, essentially signaling he wasn’t getting on.
Waltz stood there, watching other aides board the plane while he remained behind.
According to sources cited by The Daily Beast, the snub was seen as “odd.”
But the White House told CNN that Waltz was never on the manifest for Trump’s Michigan trip in the first place.
The Fallout from ‘Signalgate’
This bizarre moment came just two days before Trump officially fired Waltz, following a major misstep that had already drawn widespread criticism.
Waltz had accidentally added a journalist to a highly sensitive Signal group chat that involved military plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen.
The blunder, dubbed “Signalgate,” quickly escalated into what has been called the biggest scandal of Trump’s second term.
Despite taking responsibility for the mistake, Waltz failed to offer a clear explanation of how the journalist’s contact ended up in his phone in the first place.
His explanation on Fox News—where he fumbled over technical details—only added to the public embarrassment and eroded his standing inside the West Wing.
Trump Pulls the Trigger
In classic fashion, Trump announced Waltz’s departure on Truth Social after a National Day of Prayer event.
Though he acknowledged Waltz’s past service as a Green Beret and Congressman, the statement had a tone of finality.
Trump said Waltz would now be nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations—a position that still requires Senate confirmation.
“In the interim,” Trump added, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio will step in as National Security Advisor.”
Rubio had already made headlines the day before with a fiery cabinet meeting appearance, and now he’s temporarily juggling two high-profile roles.
Not the First to Go
Waltz now joins a long line of national security advisors who’ve come and gone under Trump’s leadership.
In Trump’s first term, Mike Flynn, H.R. McMaster, John Bolton, and Robert O’Brien all filled the role at different points.
Waltz is the first to be ousted from Trump’s second-term cabinet.
His nomination for the U.N. position came after Elise Stefanik, Trump’s original pick, was dropped due to the narrow Republican majority in the House, which couldn’t afford to lose her seat.
Awkward Endings and Mixed Signals
Even as Trump publicly praised Waltz’s contributions, he was noticeably lukewarm in a recent interview with The Atlantic, saying: “Waltz is fine.
I mean, he’s here. He just left this office. He’s fine. He was beat up also.”
Waltz, for his part, tried to maintain a positive tone.
He reposted Trump’s announcement on X and wrote, “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”
But the damage—politically and reputationally—had already been done.
What’s Next for Waltz?
While Waltz’s future now lies with the U.N. nomination, it’s unclear how smoothly that path will go.
Senate confirmation is required, though some Democrats expressed mild support for him, perhaps surprised by how quickly he was removed.
Trump, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of keeping all Republican seats secure as he pushes forward with his America First agenda.
Whether Waltz’s demotion is seen as strategic or reactive, it underscores how high the stakes are—and how unforgiving Trump’s inner circle can be when mistakes are made.