Michael Waltz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Waltz
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 29th United States National Security Advisor | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Alex Wong |
| Preceded by | Jake Sullivan |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th district |
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| In office January 3, 2019 – January 20, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Ron DeSantis |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Michael George Glen Waltz
January 31, 1974 Boynton Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Julia Nesheiwat
(m. 2021) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Virginia Military Institute (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service |
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| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | U.S. Army Special Forces |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Bronze Star (4) |
Michael George Glen Waltz (born January 31, 1974) is an American leader who has worked as a politician, a businessman, and an author. He is also a former Army Special Forces officer. Currently, he is the 29th U.S. National Security Advisor. Before this, he was a U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district from 2019 to 2025.
Waltz is a member of the Republican Party. He is the first soldier from the Army Special Forces to be elected to the United States Congress. He earned four Bronze Stars for his bravery while serving in the Special Forces. He served in places like Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa.
During the Bush administration, Waltz worked at the Pentagon as a defense policy director. He also advised Vice President Dick Cheney on counterterrorism.
In 2018, Waltz was elected to the House of Representatives. He won against Nancy Soderberg and took over from Ron DeSantis. DeSantis later became the governor of Florida. Waltz was re-elected three more times, always winning with more than 60% of the votes. He also led the United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.
Waltz is known for his strong views on China. He believes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is in a "cold war" with the U.S. In 2021, he was the first member of Congress to ask the U.S. to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He did this because of how China treats its Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities in China.
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that Waltz would become his National Security Advisor. Waltz started this new job on January 20, 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Michael Waltz was born on January 31, 1974, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He grew up in Jacksonville. He studied international studies at the Virginia Military Institute. After graduating, he became an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army.
Military Career and Service
Michael Waltz is a highly decorated soldier. He is a Green Beret and a retired colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard. A Green Beret is a special soldier trained for very difficult missions. He is the first Green Beret ever elected to Congress.
Waltz served over 26 years in the Army. He graduated with honors from the Virginia Military Institute. After becoming an Army lieutenant, he completed Ranger School. He was then chosen to be a Green Beret. He served in many places around the world, including Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. He received four Bronze Stars for his actions in combat, with two of them for his bravery.
Waltz also worked at the Pentagon, helping to set defense policies for secretaries Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates. Later, he worked at the White House as an advisor on fighting terrorism for Vice President Dick Cheney. He wrote a book called "Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan."
In 2010, Waltz helped start a company called Metis Solutions. This company focused on analysis and training. It was later sold in 2020. When he became the National Security Advisor for President Donald Trump, Waltz retired from the Army Special Forces.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Michael Waltz represented Florida's 6th congressional district. This area is on Florida's eastern coast and includes cities like Daytona Beach.
Elections and Wins
In 2018, Waltz ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He wanted to take the place of Ron DeSantis, who was running for governor. Waltz won the Republican primary election. Then, he won the main election against Nancy Soderberg. He won with 56.31% of the votes.
He was re-elected in 2020 and 2022. In both elections, he won with more than 60% of the votes. He was also re-elected in 2024.
Key Work in Congress
Waltz started his work in Congress on January 3, 2019. In April 2020, he helped with the National Guard's efforts to fight COVID-19. He worked as a colonel on the planning team.
Waltz was part of the House China Task Force. This group of lawmakers worked together to create policies about China. They wrote a report with many ideas on how to deal with challenges from China.
He also worked on laws to make sure the U.S. has enough important minerals. This helps reduce America's reliance on other countries like China for these materials. He also worked to protect American universities from Chinese spying. He believes that researchers should tell the government about any money they get from foreign sources.
Waltz also worked to stop federal retirement funds from investing in Chinese or Russian markets. President Trump later supported this idea.
Foreign Policy Views
In 2020, Waltz voted for a law that would stop the president from taking soldiers out of Afghanistan without Congress's approval. He also spoke out against the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He believed it would harm local allies and civilians.
In 2024, he voted against some bills that would send aid to Ukraine. In January 2023, Waltz and another representative, Dan Crenshaw, suggested using the U.S. military to fight drug cartels in Mexico.
Immigration Views
Waltz voted for a law that stops Immigration and Customs Enforcement from working with another government department. This law prevents them from holding or removing people who are sponsoring unaccompanied children who entered the country without permission.
Supporting Donald Trump
Waltz supported Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.
Veterans' Benefits
Waltz voted against the PACT ACT. This law expanded health benefits for veterans who were exposed to harmful chemicals during their military service.
Committee Work in Congress
During his time in Congress, Michael Waltz served on several important committees:
- Committee on Armed Services: This committee deals with military matters. He led the Subcommittee on Readiness.
- Committee on Foreign Affairs: This committee handles relationships with other countries.
- United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability: This committee checks how the government is working.
- Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: This committee oversees intelligence agencies.
Groups He Joined
Waltz was also a member of many groups in Congress, called caucuses. These groups focus on specific topics. Some of them include:
- Congressional Afghan Caucus
- Army Caucus
- For Country Caucus (he helped start this group)
- House Special Operations Forces (SOF) Caucus (he was a co-leader)
- Congressional Taiwan Caucus
National Security Advisor Role
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that Michael Waltz would be his National Security Advisor. This role involves advising the President on important national security and foreign policy issues.
Waltz left his position in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 20, 2025, to start his new job. Shortly after becoming National Security Advisor, Waltz changed his mind about banning TikTok in the United States.
On January 28, 2025, Waltz met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. They talked about how to make the nation safer and focus on American interests both at home and abroad.
Political Views
War in Afghanistan
Michael Waltz has strong views on the war in Afghanistan. In 2017, he said that the war was about ideas, not just fighting. He believed it would take a very long time, maybe 100 years, to change people's minds and defeat extremist ideas. He compared it to fighting fascism and communism.
In August 2021, when the U.S. was pulling troops out of Afghanistan, Waltz asked President Biden to change course. He wanted special forces to go back and for the Air Force to bomb Taliban positions. He thought that leaving Afghanistan would cause many people to die.
Views on Canada
In 2024, Waltz shared a video supporting Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. He said Poilievre would remove Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from office. Waltz has often criticized Trudeau for not being tough enough on China. He has also warned about China trying to influence Canadian elections.
When asked if Donald Trump was serious about making Canada part of the U.S., Waltz said that many Canadian people might want to join the United States. He mentioned benefits like no tariffs (taxes on imports) and lower taxes.
Views on China
Waltz is known for his strong stance against China. He believes the U.S. is in a "Cold War" with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2021, he was the first member of Congress to call for a full U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He did this because of how China treats its Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities. He compared the 2022 Olympics to the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany.
In 2024, he called China a "major threat" to the U.S. He pointed out China's fast military growth. He also supported investing a lot more money in the U.S. Navy.
Personal Life
Michael Waltz has a teenage daughter. He is married to Julia Nesheiwat. She is also an Army veteran. She worked for Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. Most recently, she was Trump's Homeland Security Advisor. Michael and Julia have a son together. They live in St. Johns County, Florida.
Books Written
- Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret's Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. ISBN: 1612346316.
- Dawn of the BRAVE: Saga 1 - Book 9. ISBN: 1955550093.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Waltz para niños
