Senate confirms Trump's final cabinet pick Mike Waltz as U.N. ambassador in narrow vote

The Senate on Friday confirmed Mike Waltz as the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations in a 47-45 vote, ending a nine-month vacancy at the U.N. and filling the last post in President Donald Trump’s cabinet. Senators John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., crossed party lines to back him, while Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the lone Republican to oppose the nomination, having also opposed his advancement out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Waltz’s confirmation comes as the United Nations prepares for its General Assembly in New York next week, and as Washington braces for a more active U.N. role on issues ranging from security to diplomacy. The vote ends a long gap during which the United States lacked a permanent envoy at the world body.

Waltz, a retired Army National Guard colonel and former Green Beret, has long been a prominent figure in Republican foreign policy circles. He previously served as a Florida congressman before Trump tapped him to be national security adviser, a role he held until being dismissed amid the so-called "Signalgate" controversy, in which he was accused of including a journalist in a sensitive group chat discussing Yemen strikes. Waltz has said he takes responsibility for the incident and told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham at the time, "It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it."

Trump announced Waltz’s nomination as ambassador to the U.N. in May, after he replaced Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., from the post. The move came as Trump argued that losing Stefanik from the House would complicate passage of legislation and his broader agenda given the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.

During the confirmation process, Democrats pressed Waltz on the brief chat controversy and his readiness to push reforms at the United Nations. Waltz acknowledged the incident but argued that no classified information was shared and urged reforms to restore the U.N.’s core mission of peacemaking. He told lawmakers that there should be one place in the world where everyone can talk, adding that the U.N. should be a forum where China, Russia, Europe, and the developing world can come together to resolve conflicts.

At the July hearing, lawmakers also cited his handling of the journalist-in-chat episode as evidence of an amateurish approach to sensitive discussions, but Waltz defended the record and reiterated his belief that the United Nations requires modernization and a clearer mission if it is to serve U.S. interests.

With Waltz now in place, the United States finally has an ambassador to the United Nations as the General Assembly looms in New York, underscoring Washington’s intent to play a more active role on security, development, and diplomacy at the world body.