TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly selected a Taiwan-friendly congressman as White House national security advisor.
On Monday (Nov. 11), the Wall Street Journal cited sources familiar with the matter saying Trump tapped Representative Mike Waltz to serve as his national security advisor. Waltz is considered a China hawk, serves on the House China Task Force, and is a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus.
The White House national security advisor serves as the president's primary advisor on national security matters, and the appointment does not require Senate approval. The Virginia Military Institute graduate and former Green Beret will handle ongoing conflicts, including those in Ukraine and the Middle East.
In his book "Hard Truths: Think and Lead Like a Green Beret," Waltz advocated a five-part strategy to deter China, including accelerating the arming of Taiwan, re-assuring Pacific allies, and modernizing military aircraft and naval vessels, per Reuters.
His policy on Ukraine has evolved from strongly supporting arms shipments to calling for a shift to the Indo-Pacific: “Is it in America’s interest, are we going to put in the time, the treasure, the resources that we need in the Pacific right now badly?" asked Waltz, per Guardian.
In May 2023, Waltz tweeted the US must learn from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and respond to China's threat by “arming Taiwan NOW before it's too late.” He explained this was why he asked US State Department and Pentagon officials during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting that month to provide a timeline and details on how Washington planned to boost Taiwan's defense capabilities.
