Waltz, 50, a military veteran and longtime Trump supporter, was re-elected to Congress last week.
Two sources confirmed to CBS that he is expected to be named national security adviser, tasked with identifying and responding to threats to the United States. The appointment does not require Senate confirmation.
Waltz is a decorated Green Beret and veteran of multiple tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.
In his book Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Affinity, he chronicles his experience serving in the Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration and his experiences in combat operations overseas.
Like Rubio, Waltz has taken a hard line against China. As chairman of the Military Subcommittee on Readiness, he argued that the United States must do more to prepare for a Pacific conflict.
He also said the United States should maintain support for Ukraine, but has argued in recent weeks that U.S. spending on aid for the war effort should be reevaluated.
Waltz said NATO allies should increase defense spending, but Trump reportedly suggested the United States could withdraw from the Western military alliance, to which it is a major contributor.
“We can be allies and friends and have difficult conversations,” Walz said last month.
Since the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Waltz has been a frequent critic of President Joe Biden and the White House.
He would be the second member of Congress to be asked to serve in the incoming Trump administration, which would force him to resign from his House position.
If Republicans take control of the House with a slim majority, the outcome could be different. Waltz’s resignation will reduce the majority by one member until a successor is elected.
Waltz will be the fifth national security adviser to serve under President Trump, who appointed four others to the position during his first term.
Trump fired three of them: Michael Flynn, HR McMaster, and John Bolton. The latter of the three has actively campaigned against Trump in the 2024 election.
