Michael Waltz will become the new US National Security Advisor
12 November, 2024 Congressman Mike Waltz. Photo: X/OstapYarysh Michael Waltz, a congressman from Florida and a veteran of special operations forces, will become the new National Security Advisor to the President of the United States.
Ostap Yarysh, a journalist for the Voice of America, wrote about this on X (ex-Twitter). He also outlined his statements before the election of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. In Congress, Mike Waltz initially supported bills to help Ukraine and even visited Kyiv as part of congressional delegations.
Meeting of Mike Waltz with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Photo credits: X/OstapYarysh
However, in April 2024, he voted against additional funding of £60 billion. He was direct in his criticism: "The era of bottomless checks for Ukraine from Congress is over.
Europe must do more for Ukraine, and the United States must secure its southern border," Mike Waltz wrote. Among other reasons for his vote against funding for Ukraine, Waltz cited the lack of strategy in the Biden administration. He criticized the White House for its slow and untimely support for Ukraine, as well as for insufficient sanctions against Russia's energy sector.
"If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, he will not stop until he involves NATO countries. We need to stop Russia before it draws NATO and the United States into war," Waltz wrote. However:
"But the burden cannot continue to be solely on the shoulders of the American people, especially while Western Europe gets a pass. There must be a political space between Biden's "as much as needed" strategy and those who demand "not a single dollar for Ukraine." Ostap Yarysh notes that the idea that Europe (especially Germany and France) is not doing enough to support Ukraine and that the United States should demand more from these countries is a common thread in almost all of Waltz's comments on Ukraine.
He cites his interview in January 2023 as an example:
While Germany FINALLY sent tanks to Ukraine, it's ridiculous they refused do it until the U.S. sent ours first given all that America has already provided. Biden needs to push the Europeans MUCH HARDER to step up to defend their own backyard. pic.twitter.com/vjMHxgjynJ -- Rep.
Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) January 29, 2023
However, Mike Waltz spoke out against Ukraine's accession to NATO. In an interview, he said that this would drag the United States into a war with Russia and that Ukraine is not currently capable of contributing to the collective security of the allies: Regarding other comments, Mike Waltz also raised the question of how the weapons provided to Ukraine are monitored and whether they end up on the black market after crossing the border.
Here's why Ukraine shouldn't join NATO:
?
It would bring us into the war Ukraine's actively fighting
? ALL members already aren't living up to their commitments (only 9 out of 32 contribute 2% of their GDP) Any new member must be able to contribute to the collective defense. pic.twitter.com/xpkw2T0l4O
-- Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) July 12, 2023
The examples that the journalist lists do not include the post of the future adviser about preventing the war between the US and the USSR in 1962 on October 28, 2024, on X. "But it might have turned into a nuclear war if Soviet submarine officer Vasily Arkhipov hadn't chosen restraint.
Under immense pressure, Arkhipov refused to launch a torpedo nuclear tipped torpedo into the U.S. Navy fleet blockade around Cuba. His choice to show restraint saved the U.S. from World War III.
In "Hard Truths," I share why his decision is a powerful lesson in leadership--sometimes, NOT acting takes the most courage."
On this day in 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis came to an end. But it might have turned into nuclear war if Soviet submarine officer Vasily Arkhipov hadn't chosen restraint. Under immense pressure, Arkhipov refused to launch a torpedo nuclear tipped torpedo into the U.S.
Navy... pic.twitter.com/g5MWG3loJN -- Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) October 28, 2024
Background
According to the official information on the House of Representatives website, Congressman Mike Waltz is a retired National Guard colonel and former political advisor to the White House and the Pentagon, and a Green Beret.
He is the first Green Beret to be elected to Congress.
Mike Waltz while serving in Afghanistan. Photo credits: waltz.house.gov
He graduated with honors from the Virginia Military Institute and served 27 years in the U.S. Army and National Guard, retiring during his second term in Congress.
After attaining the rank of lieutenant in the Army, Mike graduated from the Ranger School and was selected for the elite Green Berets. He served worldwide as a Special Forces officer with numerous combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. Mike was awarded four bronze stars for his combat operations, including two for valor.
It is also worth mentioning that his wife, Julia Nesheiwat, served as the US President's Homeland Security Advisor during the previous Trump presidency in 2020-2021. Nesheiwat served as a military intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, leaving the army with the rank of captain.
Nesheiwat is a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, also focusing on energy, climate, Arctic policy, and national security issues and has been appointed Commissioner to the U.S.
Arctic Research Commission.
One of her recent studies, "NATO Needs a Strategy to Counter Russia's Arctic Expansion," shows awareness of the aggressor country's intentions for the Arctic.