Mike Waltz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Waltz
Waltz in 2025
29th United States National Security Advisor
In office January 20, 2025 – May 1, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Alex Wong
Preceded by	Jake Sullivan
Succeeded by	Marco Rubio (acting)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 6th district
In office January 3, 2019 – January 20, 2025
Preceded by	Ron DeSantis
Succeeded by	Randy Fine
Personal details
Born	Michael George Glen Waltz (1974-01-31) January 31, 1974 (age 51) 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	1996–2000 (Active) 2000–2025 (Guard)
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 politician, businessman, and author. He used to be an Army Special Forces officer. From January to May 2025, he served as the national security advisor to President Donald Trump.

Waltz is a member of the Republican Party. He was a U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district from 2019 to 2025. He was the first Army Special Forces soldier to be elected to Congress. Waltz earned four Bronze Stars for his bravery while serving in the Special Forces. He served in combat in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa.

During the Bush administration, he worked in the Pentagon as a defense policy director. He was also a counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney.

In 2018, Waltz was elected to the House of Representatives. He took over from Ron DeSantis, who became governor of Florida. Waltz was re-elected several times, winning with more than 60% of the votes each time. He led the 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 for a full U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This was because of how China treated Uyghurs and other ethnic groups.

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Trump announced that Waltz would be his national security advisor. Waltz left his House seat to take on this new role on January 20, 2025. On May 1, 2025, Waltz left his position as national security advisor. The same day, Trump announced he planned to nominate Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the UN.

Early Life and School

Michael Waltz was born on January 31, 1974, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He grew up in Jacksonville. He finished high school at Stanton College Preparatory School. In 1996, he earned a degree in international studies from the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated with high honors.

Military Service

Waltz joined the U.S. Army as an armor officer in 1996. He later completed Ranger School. In 2000, he finished the Special Forces Qualification Course. He then served as an active duty Special Forces officer for two years. During this time, he had many tours in the Middle East and Africa. He received four Bronze Stars for his brave actions in combat. Two of these were specifically for valor.

From 2002 to 2011 and 2016 to 2025, Waltz served in the MD-ARNG. From 2012 to 2015, he was part of the TX-ARNG.

Waltz worked at the Pentagon as a defense policy director. He advised secretaries of defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates. He also served in the White House as the vice president's advisor on fighting terrorism. Waltz 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 sold in November 2020 for $92 million. When he became the national security advisor, Waltz retired from the Army Reserve as a colonel.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Waltz's official portrait for the 116th Congress

Elections

2018 Election

Waltz ran for Florida's 6th congressional district in 2018. The previous representative, Ron DeSantis, was running for governor. Waltz won the Republican primary. He then faced Nancy Soderberg, a former ambassador, in the main election. Waltz won with 56.31% of the votes.

2020 Election

In 2020, Waltz ran for re-election against Clint Curtis. Waltz won with 60.64% of the votes.

Time in Office

Waltz during the 117th Congress

Waltz officially started his term in the 116th United States Congress on January 3, 2019. In April 2020, Waltz helped with the National Guard's COVID-19 response. He served as a colonel on the planning staff. On November 6, 2020, he tested positive for the virus.

In December 2020, Waltz was one of many Republican House members to support a lawsuit. This lawsuit challenged the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. The Supreme Court decided not to hear the case. Later, Waltz voted to confirm Joe Biden's win in the election.

Waltz voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This act provided financial help during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 19, 2021, Waltz voted against creating a special group to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

2024 Presidential Election

Waltz supported Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries.

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Waltz was one of the 71 Republicans who voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

Committees and Groups

Waltz with the Army Corps of Engineers discussing disaster relief

For the 118th Congress, Waltz was on several important committees:

• Committee on Armed Services (which deals with military matters)
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel
  • Subcommittee on Readiness (he was the Chairman)
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
• Committee on Foreign Affairs (which deals with other countries)
  • Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability
• United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
  • United States House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs
• Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (which deals with national security information)
  • Subcommittee on Central Intelligence Agency
  • Subcommittee on National Security Agency and Cyber

Waltz was also part of many groups in Congress, called caucuses:

• Congressional Afghan Caucus
• American Flood Coalition
• Army Caucus
• Florida Ports Caucus
• For Country Caucus (he helped start this group)
• Kurdish American Caucus
• Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus
• Republican Study Committee
• House Special Operations Forces (SOF) Caucus (he was a co-leader)
• Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus
• Congressional Singapore Caucus
• Congressional Taiwan Caucus
• Republican Main Street Partnership
• Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Caucus
• Congressional Blockchain Caucus

National Security Advisor Role

Time in Office

Waltz meeting with Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, January 28, 2025

On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that Waltz would be his national security advisor. Waltz resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives on January 20, 2025, to start this new job. Soon 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 President Trump's plans for national security.

U.S., Saudi, and Russian officials meeting in Riyadh, February 18, 2025

On February 18, 2025, American and Russian officials met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Michael Waltz was there with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

In March 2025, Waltz announced a visit to Greenland. Leaders in Greenland criticized this visit. They said it was an aggressive move and accused the United States of interfering in their affairs.

On May 1, 2025, it was reported that Mike Waltz would leave his role as National Security Advisor. On the same day, he was nominated to be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

Political Views

Waltz is known for his strong views on China. He believes the U.S. is in a "Cold War" with the Chinese Communist Party. In 2024, he said China is a "threat" to the U.S. and supported investing a lot in the U.S. Navy.

Election Results

Family Life

Waltz has a teenage daughter. He is married to Julia Nesheiwat, who is also an Army veteran. Julia Nesheiwat worked for the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations. Waltz and Nesheiwat have a son together. They live in St. Johns County, Florida.

Books Written

In 2014, Waltz published his book Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret's Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. In 2022, he wrote a Christian children's book called Dawn of the Brave. This book uses animals to teach about service. In 2024, his book Hard Truths: Think and Lead Like a Green Beret was published.

Awards and Honors

Waltz has received many awards and decorations for his military service:

See also

In Spanish: Michael Waltz para niños