Washington DC, [US], November 13 : US President-elect Donald Trump has officially appointed Florida Republican Michael Waltz as his National Security Advisor.
"I am honored to announce that Congressman Mike Waltz (R-FL) is hereby appointed to serve in my Cabinet as my National Security Advisor. Mike is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress and previously served in the White House and Pentagon," Trump said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Mike served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years where he was deployed multiple times in combat for which he was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with Valor. Mike retired as a Colonel and is a nationally recognized leader in National Security, a bestselling author, and an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism," he added.
As per the statement, Waltz also served as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Mike is a distinguished graduate with honors from the Virginia Military Institute. Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!"
Congressman Mike Waltz represents Florida's Sixth Congressional District. He is the first Green Beret to be elected to Congress, and a former White House and Pentagon policy advisor.
Mike served 27 years in the U.S. Army and National Guard.
As an Army Lieutenant, he graduated Ranger School and was selected for the elite Green Berets, serving worldwide as a Special Forces officer with multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. For his actions in combat, Mike was decorated with four Bronze Stars, two of them with Valor.
He is married to Julia Nesheiwat, a combat veteran who served as Homeland Security Advisor to President Trump. They live in St. Augustine, Florida, the statement read.
Earlier, Waltz spoke at the INDUS-X Summit 2024, which was held on September 9-10 by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Stanford University.
During his address, he applauded the US-India relationship and stated, "I am excited about the tremendous momentum in the US-India relationship, between the oldest and the largest democracy in the world."
"I had the opportunity to visit India for its Indian Independence with my co-chair, Rep. Ro Khanna from California. We heard an incredible speech from Prime Minister Modi at the foot of the Red Fort. It was hot in August, but it was an amazing event." he added.
He further describes the US-India relationship as the "most important relationship of the 21st century," adding that "This will determine whether this is a century of light or a century of darkness. I look forward to working with all of you. Consider my office and my team an open door to further this relationship as we press forward, keeping the Indo-Pacific free and open protecting Indian sovereignty, particularly on the Line of Control (LoC) and ensuring that the world that we leave behind for our children and grandchildren is in line with our shared values. Let's keep the momentum (in the US-India relationship) going."
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