Mike Waltz Has Unfinished Business Before He Resigns From Congress To Serve As Trump’s National Security Advisor

Republican Florida Rep. Mike Waltz plans to step down from Congress on Jan. 20  to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security advisor, according to Politico.

That is the same day that Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office.

Waltz will remain in office for the Jan. 3 vote for House Speaker. During this session, Speaker Mike Johnson will vie for his first full term at the helm of the GOP conference, Politico said. Following reports of Waltz’s resignation, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd has officially set Jan. 28 as the primary for Waltz’s replacement and April 1 for the general special election, CBS News reported.

Candidates can qualify for the race from Dec. 6 until Dec. 7, CBS News said. Following Byrd’s announcement, state legislators interested in running for Waltz’s vacated seat have until the end of Tuesday to submit their resignations. These resignations need not take immediate effect.

Trump appointed Waltz as the new White House national security adviser. A former Green Beret with service experience in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa, Waltz has been a vocal advocate for increased European backing for Ukraine and stricter management of U.S. aid since his 2019 congressional election, priorities that resonate with Trump’s foreign policy goals.

In addition to Waltz, Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is set to become the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Meanwhile, Republican Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who did not secure reelection, has been nominated as secretary of Labor.