Trump's National Security Advisor: Architect of Tough Stance Against America's Enemies

The National Security Advisor to the President of the United States is a powerful position. Unlike many other positions, the selected individual does not require Senate confirmation. Donald Trump, who will take the presidential oath on January 20, has chosen Mike Waltz, a Republican representative from Florida, as his National Security Advisor. He is now responsible for keeping Trump informed on key national security issues and coordinating with other government agencies. In one of his interviews, Waltz stated, 'China, Russia, and Iran are not competing with us; they are trying to replace us.' As a member of the House of Representatives, it is not surprising that Mike Waltz sees the Islamic Republic as the source of chaos and terrorism in the Middle East. He believes that as long as the Islamic Republic has money, peace will not prevail in the Middle East. In an interview with Fox News, he expressed a positive view of Trump's previous policies towards the Islamic Republic, saying, 'This time he will do the same to bring Iran to the negotiating table with a different perspective on the JCPOA.' Alongside sanctions and other economic and diplomatic pressures, Waltz wants to pressure China for buying Iranian oil. There is no doubt that Trump wants to stop Russia's war against Ukraine. During the campaign, Trump stated he would end that war within 24 hours. But at what cost to Ukraine? In September, Trump said his plan to end the war does not mean surrendering. Volodymyr Zelensky was one of the leaders who congratulated Trump shortly after the U.S. elections. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, took advantage of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral to arrange a meeting between the two. No one has explained how Trump intends to convince both sides, but Waltz believes there is an economic method to persuade Russia. Given Russia's economy's reliance on oil and gas exports, Waltz likened Russia to a gas station with nuclear weapons. In another interview with the same network, he said, 'We just need to saturate the global market with our oil and gas to lead to a drop in their prices because currently, Russia's war machine is facing problems,' and thus Russia can be brought to its knees to negotiate. For several years, China has been referred to by the U.S. as the challenge of the century. Waltz is a staunch critic of China and has stated that the U.S. is in a Cold War with the Chinese Communist Party. The challenges are multi-dimensional. Waltz is also one of the current U.S. officials who says China is strengthening its conventional military capabilities but sees the biggest threat in that country's cyber sabotage. Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for Secretary of State, John Ratcliffe, his choice for CIA director, and Tulsi Gabbard, his nominee for Director of National Intelligence, all share similar views on China. If these individuals are confirmed by the Senate, they will also be members of the National Security Council. Therefore, there will be a united front against China. Trump's economic war against China will continue with the help of former Senator David Perdue, Trump's nominee as U.S. ambassador to China. Trump has threatened that if China does not stop the trafficking of fentanyl abroad, he will add another 10% to the tariffs on Chinese goods, in addition to the 60% he mentioned during the campaign. Perhaps it is for these reasons that he has invited Xi Jinping, the President of China, to his inauguration to set the stage for a 'friendly competition.' Beijing has not yet stated whether it will accept the invitation. Waltz's positions, Trump's nominee for National Security Advisor, regarding the Islamic Republic are exclusive; the Trump transition government has stated that all options regarding Iran are on the table. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Richard Grenell denied Reuters' report about his selection as Trump's nominee for Iran affairs. Two other nominees for implementing immigration policies have been unveiled.