Being Secretary of State is already a heavyweight job. But Marco Rubio isn’t just handling diplomacy — he’s also wearing the hats of acting administrator for USAID, acting head of the National Archives, and now, acting National Security Adviser. And by all indications, that’s not changing anytime soon.
Marco Rubio Possibly Becoming National Security Advisor
Rubio’s latest assignment came after President Trump announced that Michael Waltz, under pressure over his involvement in the infamous Signal chat leak, would be stepping down. Instead of being fired outright, Waltz is being nominated as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The idea of Rubio stepping into the national security role had been floated weeks ago, a senior administration official said. But Trump didn’t pull the trigger until recently — reportedly fed up with Waltz and ready to make a change.
According to three people familiar with the situation — including two officials currently in the administration — Trump may not be in a rush to replace Rubio. There’s a growing belief that he could stick with him in the role for the foreseeable future.
In a statement, a senior State Department official said: “The president has assembled an incredibly talented team that is fully committed to putting America and Americans first. Secretary Rubio looks forward to serving as his interim National Security Adviser while ensuring the mission-critical work at the State Department continues uninterrupted.”
Waltz’s exit had been building for some time. Back in March, The Atlantic reported that he accidentally added the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a private Signal group chat meant for senior officials. Still, the White House wasn’t eager to hand critics an easy win by firing him on the spot — hence the smoother landing at the U.N.
Michael Waltz Tapped to Become UN Ambassador
One senior official noted that Trump seems to have taken a lesson from his first term: it’s often better to move people into new roles than kick them out entirely. That way, they stay close — and quiet. Another official pushed back, insisting that wasn’t part of the decision at all.
Waltz is expected to be confirmed by the Senate if Trump follows through on the nomination.
As for who might permanently take the National Security Adviser job, a few names are making the rounds: Michael Anton, currently leading policy planning at the State Department; Chris Landau, the deputy secretary of state; and Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff and longtime policy architect.
Miller didn’t respond to a request for comment.
There’s also the question of who will step into the deputy national security adviser role — especially if Rubio keeps juggling multiple top-level jobs. For now, Alex Wong, Waltz’s deputy, remains on the National Security Council to help with the handoff and prepare for Trump’s upcoming trip to the Middle East — his first major foreign trip of his second term, excluding the pope’s funeral.
If Rubio keeps both roles long-term, it’ll be historic. The last person to serve simultaneously as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser? Henry Kissinger.
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