Former National Security adviser Mike Waltz, nominated to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
On Tuesday, former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz appeared before the U.S. Senate and stated that President Donald Trump never fired him from the post.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) closed the hearing by asking Waltz to confirm whether he was still receiving a salary for the position after Trump announced that the Secretary of State would be taking over Waltz's duties.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday, "The latest list of White House salaries, current as of July 1, includes Waltz earning an annual salary of $195,200."
Waltz stayed on the payroll, a White House official told the AP, to “ensure a smooth and successful transition given the extreme importance of the role of NSA."
"I was not fired," said Waltz.
"You've been receiving almost $200k of taxpayer money since you were dismissed as NSA," said Rosen.
He called it "Fake news."
"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation's Interests first," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on May 1. "I know he will do the same in his new role."
It was widely reported that Waltz was "ousted," according to Axios, PBS, CBS, the BBC, the Associated Press and more.
By May 2, Rubio was announced to be taking over the NSA.
"Marco Rubio is expected to serve as both secretary of State and national security adviser for a minimum of six months, and a number of top advisers to President Donald Trump are interested in making the arrangement permanent," reported Politico, citing three senior White House officials.
"Trump’s appointment of Rubio to temporarily replace Mike Waltz as national security adviser is the first major leadership shake-up of the nascent administration, but Waltz’s removal had been rumored for weeks — ever since he created a Signal group chat and accidentally added a journalist to the conversation where top national security officials shared sensitive military plans," the Associated Press said at the time.
At the time, the New York Times characterized Rubio as the "secretary of everything."
On May 1, far-right firebrand and close Trump ally, Laura Loomer, announced that Waltz "resigned," putting the word in quotes.
See the clip of the exchange between Rosen and Waltz below or at the link here.