Representative Michael Waltz, the congressman serving Flagler County and the surrounding area, has been named national security advisor President-elect Donald Trump. Waltz was picked both due to his loyalty to Trump and his experience as a U.S. Army Green Beret.
Since 2019, Waltz has represented Florida’s 6th congressional district in the House of Representatives. This covers all or some of Flagler, St. Johns, Volusia, Lake, Marion, and Putnam counties. He won election in his first campaign for office in 2018 to follow the outgoing Ron DeSantis, who was in the process of elevating from congressman to governor. He will be resigning to join Trump’s administration.
“I am deeply honored President Trump is placing his trust in me to serve in his Cabinet as National Security Advisor,” Waltz said in a statement on X. “There is no higher calling than defending our nation’s values, freedoms, and the safety of every American. Together with President Trump and his team, we will confront the evolving challenges of today’s world and hold firm against those who would harm our way of life. Our nation deserves nothing less than bold, unwavering leadership, and that’s what he will deliver.”
How Waltz’s Seat Will be Filled
His seat in Congress will be filled by a special election that occurs in the months following Waltz’s departure. Unlike with the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio for him to become Secretary of State, Gov. DeSantis will not be appointing Waltz’s successor. He will, however, be tasked with organizing and executing the special election – this task may come with extra expedience due to a relatively close Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
Who may or may not run for Waltz’s spot remains to be seen. Former Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins indicated he’d be throwing in his hat, after being defeated in the Republican primary for his Commission seat in 2022. Alexander Helman, who like Waltz is in the Florida Army National Guard, confirmed he’s considering a run. Outgoing Florida House Speaker Paul Renner would likely be a strong contender as one of Florida’s top Republicans in a firmly red district, but he has not confirmed his interest in the seat as of Wednesday afternoon.
Michael Waltz’s Career
Prior to public office, Waltz was born in Boynton Beach and raised in Jacksonville. He attended Virginia Military Institute, earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. He has served in the U.S. Army since 1996, on active duty until 2000 at which point he joined up with the Florida Army National Guard. Waltz has attained the rank of Colonel, earning four Bronze Stars with two coming for Valor. He served in the War in Afghanistan, and has described helping lead the search for prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl, who was ultimately convicted of desertion before having that conviction voided in 2023.
Congressman Waltz during his time in Afghanistan. ⓒ Office of Rep. Michael Waltz
Waltz’s political career began with employment as an advisor for Secretaries of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates. He was then a counter-terrorism advisor for Vice President Dick Cheney during the George W. Bush administration. He ran for Congress in 2018, facing and squarely defeating Democratic candidate Nancy Soderberg. He easily won re-election in 2020, 2022, and 2024. In Congress, he has served on four committees: Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Accountability, and Intelligence. His wife, Julia Nesheiwat, served as then-President Trump’s homeland security advisor in the final year of his first presidency.
“America will keep its allies close, we will not be afraid to confront our adversaries, and we will invest in the technologies that keep our country strong,” Waltz said to close his acceptance statement. “America’s greatest strength is its booming economy and our energy dominance, and those tools will keep us out of wars and allow us to once again lead from a position of strength. I fully believe that America’s best days are still ahead, and that with President Trump’s America First Agenda, we will secure our freedoms and forge a future where our nation remains the land of the free, and the land looked to for leadership and courage by the world.”
