Cabot Phillips

Writing on Truth Social, the president said, quote, 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. I know he'll do the same in his new role.

Now, the president had initially tapped Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as UN ambassador, but she withdrew with the White House saying her efforts would be better served in the House, where Republicans hold a slim majority. So now Waltz stepping in.

Now, the president had initially tapped Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to serve as UN ambassador, but she withdrew with the White House saying her efforts would be better served in the House, where Republicans hold a slim majority. So now Waltz stepping in.

Well, his nomination to UN ambassador certainly shocked a lot of people, but his removal as national security advisor did seem like it was a long time coming. Remember, Waltz was responsible for accidentally adding Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to that now infamous signal chat. Trump initially stood by him following that scandal, but from what we're hearing after that story broke,

Well, his nomination to UN ambassador certainly shocked a lot of people, but his removal as national security advisor did seem like it was a long time coming. Remember, Waltz was responsible for accidentally adding Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to that now infamous signal chat. Trump initially stood by him following that scandal, but from what we're hearing after that story broke,

the president started asking around with his team for their thoughts on Waltz. That's never a good sign in the White House. The pressure campaign to relieve him reportedly grew as some within the White House started to express concerns that his more hawkish views did not reflect the America First foreign policy, which widely tends to be more dovish.

the president started asking around with his team for their thoughts on Waltz. That's never a good sign in the White House. The pressure campaign to relieve him reportedly grew as some within the White House started to express concerns that his more hawkish views did not reflect the America First foreign policy, which widely tends to be more dovish.

But the fact he's staying on as UN ambassador shows Donald Trump still views him as a valuable asset. Certainly does. Now, what comes next for the administration's foreign policy? Well, in the short term, Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be stepping in as national security advisor.

But the fact he's staying on as UN ambassador shows Donald Trump still views him as a valuable asset. Certainly does. Now, what comes next for the administration's foreign policy? Well, in the short term, Trump announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be stepping in as national security advisor.

As far as a long-term replacement, the most likely scenario is that Trump promotes someone from within. Some names that have been floated already include Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, NSC Director of Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, or Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. But playing the prediction game when it comes to Trump is, as we know, a usually fruitless endeavor.

As far as a long-term replacement, the most likely scenario is that Trump promotes someone from within. Some names that have been floated already include Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, NSC Director of Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, or Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. But playing the prediction game when it comes to Trump is, as we know, a usually fruitless endeavor.

Now, more broadly, it is an open secret in Washington that there is this ideological debate raging within the administration on foreign policy. On one side are the more traditional, hawkish, Reagan-style Republicans. They want to take a more aggressive approach in places like the Middle East. And on the other are the more dovish non-interventionists. They want the U.S.

Now, more broadly, it is an open secret in Washington that there is this ideological debate raging within the administration on foreign policy. On one side are the more traditional, hawkish, Reagan-style Republicans. They want to take a more aggressive approach in places like the Middle East. And on the other are the more dovish non-interventionists. They want the U.S.

to use soft power and largely stay out of foreign entanglements if at all possible. Whoever Trump ultimately picks for this position moving forward could tell us a lot about which of those ideologies is winning out in the administration.

to use soft power and largely stay out of foreign entanglements if at all possible. Whoever Trump ultimately picks for this position moving forward could tell us a lot about which of those ideologies is winning out in the administration.

Yeah, big news there. The White House announced that after months of intense negotiations, they had reached an agreement on that long-awaited minerals deal. The agreement will create a new, quote, reconstruction investment fund, which will be managed 50-50 by the U.S. and Ukraine. So, moving forward, that means half of all revenues from new oil projects

Yeah, big news there. The White House announced that after months of intense negotiations, they had reached an agreement on that long-awaited minerals deal. The agreement will create a new, quote, reconstruction investment fund, which will be managed 50-50 by the U.S. and Ukraine. So, moving forward, that means half of all revenues from new oil projects

gas and mineral projects in Ukraine will go into that fund. That'll help pay the U.S. back for the billions of dollars we've sent to help their war effort. Here's Treasury Secretary Scott Besant announcing the deal.

gas and mineral projects in Ukraine will go into that fund. That'll help pay the U.S. back for the billions of dollars we've sent to help their war effort. Here's Treasury Secretary Scott Besant announcing the deal.

Now, from a strategic standpoint, Zelensky likes this deal because it gives the U.S. extra incentive to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression, because now we have more economic interests there. And Trump likes it because America will now have first dibs on Ukraine's rare earth minerals at a time when he's looking to reduce our reliance on China, which...