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Dunce at the heart of Signalgate keeps failing upward [1]
['Daily Kos Staff']
Date: 2025-07-15
Mike Waltz has returned from the shadows of Signalgate to try his hand at a nomination for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the hearing is just as spicy as you’d imagine.
The former national security adviser, who managed to include the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic in an unsecured group chat discussing war plans, was grilled across the board Tuesday, for his missteps of handling classified information.
“I have no questions for you, sir,” Sen. Cory Booker said, adding that Waltz showed “profound cowardice” for not taking responsibility for his failures around Signalgate.
“I have nothing but deep disappointment in what I consider a failure of leadership on your part.”
x Sen. Cory Booker to Mike Waltz: "You were involved in the sharing of sensative information about imminent military operations...You said [Jeffrey Goldberg] intentionally infiltrated your Signal chain. You said that he was 'sucked in.'...It shows profound cowardice." — The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2025-07-15T16:15:49.495Z
Then again, if you ask Waltz or Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—who texted times and dates of weapons deployments before a pending strike on a terrorist group in Yemen—they both agree that no classified information was shared.
However, Sen. Chris Coons wasn’t buying that.
“This was demonstrably sensitive information,” he said to Waltz.
x WALTZ: The use of Signal was not only authorized, it's still authorized, and highly recommended COONS: Would you recommend the use of Signal for classified information? WALTZ: There was no classified information shared — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-07-15T15:37:54.452Z
Despite the intense scrutiny brought about from Waltz and Hegseth’s mishandling, no disciplinary action was taken against them, Waltz confirmed to Coons. Not only did he get away with less than a slap on the wrist, but Waltz has managed to keep his cushy annual salary of $195,200 throughout all of this despite being let go from his previous role in March.
But Waltz isn’t just raising eyebrows over his Signal controversy or his salary for doing … nothing. The potential new ambassador to the UN is also echoing President Donald Trump’s potentially anti-UN approach. According to Waltz’s opening remarks, the former green beret plans to make the UN “great again,” echoing his boss’ favorite slogan.
“We should have one place in the world where everyone can talk—where China, Russia, Europe and the developing world can come together and resolve conflicts,” he said “But after 80 years, it’s drifted from its core mission of peacemaking.”
He went on to push the idea that the UN promotes antisemitism, agreeing with the popular Trump stance of pulling funding that doesn’t fit their narrative. The UN has been outspoken against Israel’s role in the Gaza conflict and has condemned their harm toward the Palestinian people.
But while the UN as a whole works to ensure peace and the upkeep of human rights across cultures worldwide, Waltz and the Trump administration maintain that giving funding is more so “America last.”
“The U.S. must ensure that every foreign aid dollar and every contribution to an international organization, particularly the UN, draws a straight and direct line to a compelling U.S. national interest, one that puts America first, not last,” he said.
Trump just continues to put the least-qualified candidates up for the job.
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