Michael Waltz

Early Life and Education

Michael George Waltz was born on January 31, 1974, in Boynton Beach, Florida, and raised in Jacksonville. His single mother raised him in a family with a strong naval tradition—his father and grandfather were Navy Chiefs. Waltz graduated with honors from the Virginia Military Institute, where he began his military and public service career.

Military Service

Upon commissioning as an Army lieutenant, Waltz completed Ranger School and became a Green Beret in the Army Special Forces. This distinction would later mark him as the first Green Beret elected to Congress. During his 27-year career in the U.S. Army and National Guard, he undertook multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa, earning four Bronze Stars, including two for valor. Waltz retired as a Colonel during his second term in Congress.

Government Roles and Writing

Waltz served as a defense policy director for Secretaries of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates, as well as a counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney. His experiences in the field and policymaking inspired his book, Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. Proceeds from the book benefit veteran support organizations, including the Green Beret Foundation. He co-authored Dawn of the Brave, a children’s book emphasizing service and patriotism.

Business and Media

Following his military and governmental roles, Waltz co-founded a successful small business that grew to over 400 employees and earned recognition on the Inc. 500 list of fast-growing private companies. Additionally, he provided national security commentary as a Fox News Channel contributor, becoming a recognized voice on global threats and defense issues.

Political Career

In 2018, Waltz launched his political career, succeeding Ron DeSantis as the Representative for Florida’s 6th Congressional District. He has been in Congress since January 3, 2019. In 2024, Waltz chaired the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and served on the House Intelligence Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. His legislative focus included bolstering national defense, reducing reliance on Chinese critical minerals, and safeguarding Florida’s natural resources.

On November 12, 2024, Waltz was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as National Security Advisor.

Views on Israel and the Middle East

Michael Waltz has built a solid pro-Israel record in Congress, consistently supporting Israel’s right to defend itself. He has been an outspoken advocate for military action against Iran, urging Israel to target Iran’s nuclear facilities and oil exports in response to Iranian aggression. Waltz has also praised Israel’s operations against Hamas and Hezbollah, emphasizing his belief in Israel’s autonomy to act decisively in its defense. Additionally, Waltz has been a staunch supporter of the Abraham Accords, advocating for broader normalization agreements in the Middle East to strengthen ties between Israel and Arab nations, mainly through continued engagement with Saudi Arabia.

In response to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants issued on November 21, 2024, against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Waltz dismissed the ICC’s credibility, stating that the U.S. government has refuted the allegations. He defended Israel’s right to protect its citizens and borders against genocidal threats and criticized the ICC and the United Nations for their “anti-Semitic bias.” Waltz pledged a strong U.S. response to these double standards when the new administration takes over.

On November 26, 2024, following reports of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Walz expressed on X his support for concrete steps toward de-escalation in the Middle East. However, he stated that the Iranian regime is the root cause of the chaos and terrorism in the region. He emphasized that the U.S. will not tolerate the status quo of Iran’s support for terrorism.

On January 15, 2025, Waltz stated that Hamas should not govern Gaza because they are “hostage-taking, murderous, rapist, torturers” that hinder regional stability. He believes Hamas should not lead the Palestinian people and that eradicating the group is necessary to achieve peace in the region. Waltz also emphasized the importance of fully demilitarizing Gaza to prevent Hamas from regaining power and ensuring Israel’s right to self-defense. He criticized Hamas for using civilians as shields and stressed the need to secure the release of hostages while achieving strategic goals. Waltz believes that Iran’s support of Hamas was an attempt to prevent a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which he sees as the next step in the Abraham Accords. He hopes that by the end of Trump’s term, discussions will shift towards infrastructure projects and economic solutions, leading to a better life for everyone in the region.

On the same day, in a separate interview with Fox News, Waltz stated that the U.S. would support Israel if it needed to return to war with Hamas. He believes that Hamas must be destroyed and credits Trump’s impending presidency with the success of the ceasefire-hostage deal, saying that Hamas “knew… they had no choice” and believed Trump’s threat of “all hell to pay” if no agreement was reached before he took office. Waltz also emphasized that the U.S. would not limit arms supplies to Israel, criticizing the outgoing Biden administration for attempting to restrain Israel. He expressed confidence that the hostages would be released on January 20, 2025, the day of Trump’s inauguration. Waltz believes that the U.S. will work towards normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel after the war ends and alleges that Iran was responsible for sabotaging previous peace attempts.

On May 1, 2025, President Trump announced the nomination of Congressman Mike Waltz as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, highlighting Waltz’s military background, congressional service, and previous role as National Security Advisor as proof of his commitment to America’s interests. The decision, which effectively removes Waltz from the National Security Advisor role, comes after a scandal that saw a Signal chat involving top national security officials, including Waltz, mistakenly included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, exposing sensitive discussions about U.S. military action against the Houthis in Yemen and revealing Israeli intelligence.

Personal Life

Waltz resides in St. Johns County, Florida, with his wife, Dr. Julia Nesheiwat, a fellow combat veteran and former Homeland Security Advisor. They have two children.

Sources: “Biography,” waltz.house.gov.
“Michael Waltz,” Ballotpedia.
@realDonaldTrump, (November 12, 2024). 
Jacob Kornbluh, “Your complete guide to Trump’s Jewish advisers and pro-Israel cabinet,” Forward, (November 13, 2024). 
Rob Eshman, “Trump’s first picks are die-hard Israel supporters, mocking the pro-Palestinian protest vote,” Forward, (November 13, 2024). 
Yaakov Katz, “Trump and Biden’s influence on Israel: Netanyahu’s trial and right-wing appointments - opinion,” Jerusalem Post, (November 15, 2024).
@michaelgwaltz, (November 21, 2024).
@michaelgwaltz, (November 26, 2024).
“Trump’s incoming NSA: Hamas must have no role in governing Gaza,” JNS, (January 15, 2024).
“Top Trump official says US will back renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza if needed,” Times of Israel, (January 16, 2025).
@realDonaldTrump, (May 1, 2025).
Zvika Klein, Yonah Jeremy Bob, Amichai Stein, “Trump’s cabinet reshuffle: Good for Israel at UN, not so clear on Hamas, Iran - analysis,” Jerusalem Post, (May 1, 2025).

Photo: United States Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.