Well this is certainly interesting…. Earlier today, news broke that Mike Waltz was OUT as chair of the National Security Council: BREAKING: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Deputy Alex Wong Are OUT Initial thoughts were that he was likely removed by President Trump, but now Trump himself has posted he is nominating Waltz to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Take a look here, this is from President Trump on Truth Social, I verified it: I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. 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 will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter! My initial thought? Is this a promotion or is President Trump shipping him off shore and out of the way? President Trump nominating Mike Waltz to be US Ambassador to the United Nations after departure from the National Security Council. Is this a promotion or shipping him off shore and out of the way? Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/fvEZlkv5Uz — Noah Christopher (@DailyNoahNews) May 1, 2025 I'm not entirely sure yet, but that was at least the first question that crossed my mind. Waltz himself responded: I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation. pic.twitter.com/FFTPjnIYkI — Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) May 1, 2025 CNBC had more details: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will nominate Mike Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, confirming earlier reports that Waltz was being ousted as national security advisor. Trump said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would serve as interim national security advisor until that post is filled. The announcement came hours after multiple news reports that Walz would leave that role amid continued controversy over his creation of a Signal messaging app chat thread that was used by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reveal U.S. military plans to other Trump administration officials. The editor of The Atlantic magazine had been inadvertently added to the chat thread by Waltz. The president had previously nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., for the U.N. ambassador slot. But Trump withdrew Stefanik’s nomination in late March, citing the very slim majority that Republicans hold in the House of Representatives. “I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday. “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 will do the same in his new role,” Trump wrote. “In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Waltz, in a tweet replying to Trump’s post, wrote, “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.” Waltz, 51, previously served in the House, representing a Florida district. Earlier, he served in the U.S. Army as a Special Forces officer. I wonder where Alex Wong will turn up? The next Ambassador to Chyyyna? Here was our earlier report: BREAKING: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Deputy Alex Wong Are OUT This is a breaking news alert.... War Hawk Mike Waltz and his top deputy Alex Wong are out and no longer working for the President of the United States. See this breaking alert from Fox News: #BREAKING: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong are OUT, per FOX pic.twitter.com/P719eQwtvS — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 1, 2025 The departure stems from fallout over "SignalGate" as well as potentially not aligning with President Trump's desire to end existing wars. Here is Waltz giving a very nonsensical answer to Laura Ingraham over how he added Jeffrey Goldberg to that SignalChat. Laura isn't buying anything Waltz is trying to sell here and neither do I: Mike Waltz was a neocon who lied about Jeffrey Goldberg’s contact information being “sucked in” to his Signal chat. pic.twitter.com/2YEkWIUYv8 — TransOdius (@TransOdius) May 1, 2025 While it was widely known that Waltz was on thin ice, the departures came like a thief in the night, or perhaps make that a thief in the morning. He was on Fox and Friends this morning at 8:20 a.m. only to be gone mere hours later: Mike Waltz was just on Fox and Friends at 8:20 a.m. this morning touting the success of the rare earth deal with Ukraine pic.twitter.com/TXtXYemHvQ — Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) May 1, 2025 The AP added these details: White House national security adviser Mike Waltz is set to depart the administration, according to two people familiar with the matter on Thursday, marking the first major staff shakeup of President Donald Trump’s second term. Waltz came under searing scrutiny in March after revelations that he added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a private text chain on the encrypted messaging app Signal, which was used to discuss planning for a sensitive March 15 military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen. A far-right ally of the president, Laura Loomer, has also targeted Waltz, telling Trump in a recent Oval Office conversation that he needs to purge aides who she believes are insufficiently loyal to the “Make America Great Again” agenda. Waltz’s deputy, Alex Wong, is also expected to depart, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel move not yet made public. The National Security Council did not respond do a request for comment. Waltz, who served in the House representing Florida for three terms before his elevation to the White House, is the most prominent senior administration official to depart since Trump returned to the White House. In his second term, the Republican president had been looking to avoid the tumult of his first four years in office, during which he cycled through four national security advisers, four White House chiefs of staff and two secretaries of state. When I call him a "War Hawk" I think this next clip will show you exactly what I mean. Are these the people we really want in President Trump's ear? More War Hawk Neocons? National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and his Chinese deputy, NSC Advisor Alex Wong, have “resigned” from the Trump administration. Waltz, known for his aggressive stance on Iran, had reportedly pushed for military action—potentially even bombing the country in defense of Israel. pic.twitter.com/4jwkPT3TCR — Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) May 1, 2025 That's a big no-thank you from me. Not that I don't support Israel, I do.  I just don't support endless wars and killing.  I'm tired of it. George W. Bush conned me into thinking we had to fight the whole Middle East, but I've woken up now and that has most clearly failed. It needs to stop. People are already posting who they want to fill the opening: Since Mike Waltz appears to be out...I have a suggestion pic.twitter.com/5hOfAMJQBe — Jason Robertson (@JRobFromMN) May 1, 2025 And: The only option to replace Mike Waltz as NSA is America First MAGA die hard @RichardGrenell!!! pic.twitter.com/21x2xoybaZ — David Leatherwood (@brokebackUSA) May 1, 2025 More here, from NoahReport: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Deputy NSC Advisor Alex Wong are leaving the Trump administration. BREAKING: National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Deputy NSC advisor Alex Wong are leaving their positions at the Trump administration, according to Fox News. Walz came under scrutiny in March after he mistakenly added The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal chat where top… pic.twitter.com/azNXwE7Qjh — RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) May 1, 2025 Fox News reported: Trump administration National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and other staffers are out at the National Security Council, sources confirmed to Fox News. Fox News confirmed Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong were purged Thursday. Waltz, who previously served as a Florida congressman and as a decorated combat Green Beret, has come under fire from Democrats and critics since March, when the Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg published a firsthand account of getting added to a Signal group chat with top national security leaders, including Waltz, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, while they discussed strikes against Yemen terrorists. Waltz took responsibility for the inclusion of a journalist in the group chat in April, telling Fox News’ Laura Ingraham: “I take full responsibility. I built the group. … It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.” A replacement has reportedly been talked about for weeks. Politico reported: Names for a replacement have been discussed around the West Wing for weeks, but the plans to remove Waltz potentially as soon as this week gained steam in recent days, according to two of the people and another person close to the White House.

In a turn of events amid a foreign policy "shakeup," President Donald Trump has announced that his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, will be reassigned to a new role -- becoming the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (UN).

As road closures and mass evacuations paralyzed the nation, Israel was forced to cancel its Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony due to massive wildfires that broke out near Jerusalem on Wednesday.

An effort by Senate Democrats to overturn President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff policy fell short on Wednesday.

Special Envoy to Ukraine General Keith Kellogg told Fox News on Wednesday evening that progress had been made with Ukraine and its European backers, saying Kyiv had now agreed to “22 concrete terms”. They have agreed to give up land for peace. They don’t have any leverage to do otherwise. Kellogg said: “People don’t understand […] The post Ukraine Agrees to Cede Land for Permanent Peace appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

On Thursday, leftist Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) told a reporter to “f*** off” after he asked her about whether more Democrats should be vouching for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member deported to his home country of El Salvador. Daily Caller News Foundation reporter Myles Morell shared a video on social media in which he introduced himself as Omar, along with a couple of other people, as they walked outdoors in his direction. Today I tried to ask @Ilhan a question on behalf of The @DailyCaller News Foundation and she told me to “F**k off” twice. That was very unprofessional of her. Our elected officials should not be acting this way. pic.twitter.com/8wPu566ZTt — Myles Morell (@MylesMorell) May 1, 2025 “Do you think more of your Democratic colleagues should be traveling to El Salvador to advocate on behalf of Abrego Garcia?” Morell asked. “I think you should f*** off,” Omar replied as she and the others continued to walk down a sidewalk. “I’m sorry, what congresswoman?” Morell asked. Omar said, “You should f*** off.” “Who should?” Morell pressed. “You,” Omar said. Morell asked, “Why me?” Omar did not answer as she walked away. But one of the people she was with, apparently a staffer, told Morell they were “not taking any more questions right now.” The exchange happened after Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and some other Democrats had travelled to El Salvador to push for the return of Abrego Garcia, whose lawyers have denied he is part of MS-13 — despite documents indicating otherwise. On Wednesday, The Bulwark reported House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was urging fellow Democrats to stop the trips to El Salvador amid an intra-party debate on how intensely they should clash with President Donald Trump on deportations. Jeffries later denied the report. In posting the video to X, Morell said of his exchange with Omar: “That was very unprofessional of her. Our elected officials should not be acting this way.” Omar responded to a post from Libs of TikTok that contained the video. “I said what I said. You and all your miserable trolls can f*** off,” she said. Others commented on the video, which has gone viral on social media, with many criticizing Omar for her reaction to Morell. “Reminder: Democrats say Donald Trump has lowered the tone of political rhetoric….” said British broadcaster Piers Morgan. “This woman has no class, no gratitude to America, and no honor. Truly a disgrace to the US Congress,” said Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. “Nasty woman,” said conservative commentator Tomi Lahren. “This is an unhinged response to an entirely fair question. I think part of it is that Democrats are not used to being asked non-softball questions by Capitol Hill reporters,” said Washington Free Beacon investigative reporter Chuck Ross. Omar, a member of the leftist Squad, is no stranger to controversy. She was kicked off the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2023 for comments she made about Israel. Last year, Omar faced a censure threat for suggesting that some Jewish students were “pro-genocide,” but it did not come to pass.

The Trump administration this week slashed $1 billion in so-called “mental health” grants for educational institutions, many of which were going to promote leftist ideology and train leftist activists. The Education Department confirmed Wednesday that it was making cuts to grants handed out by the Biden administration ostensibly for the purpose of “mental health” because of the focus of many of the recipients on racially-focused programs. In a notice to Congress, the administration said it was going to “re-envision and re-compete” the funds allocated for mental health at schools in a gun control bill signed by former President Joe Biden. “These grants are intended to improve American students’ mental health by funding additional mental health professionals in schools and on campuses,” Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications Madison Biedermann said. “Instead, under the deeply flawed priorities of the Biden Administration, grant recipients used the funding to implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health and could hurt the very students the grants are supposed to help.” The move was first reported on Tuesday by Christopher Rufo, who wrote on X that there would be “no more slush fund for activists under the guise of mental health.” In March, the conservative organization Defending Education put out a report finding that the Department of Education had given at least $100,964,880 in grants to 25 universities to increase their social worker training programs ostensibly for the purpose of mental health. Defending Education found that many of these grants were going to programs steeped in leftist ideology. This money was allocated through the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program. For example, Portland State University was awarded $1,189,801 by the Department of Education to increase the number of social workers. DEI principles are built into the school’s Master of Social Work program, the stated goal of which is to train social workers to dismantle “systems of oppression; build[] racial equity and social, political, and economic justice.” “The grants were meant to support school counselors and mental health staff. In reality, they became a pipeline for training activist educators steeped in DEI, CRT, and gender ideology. Federal dollars went to universities pushing ‘anti-racist social-emotional learning’ and racially preferential hiring,” said Defending Education President Nicki Neily on Thursday. “Parents want real support for children in crisis, not counselors or social workers trained to divide, shame, and re-educate. Good on the Trump administration for ending this. Now, let’s make sure the replacements actually serve students.”