Trump’s choice for national security: I agree with Jake Sullivan on 'our adversaries'
Rep. Mike Waltz emphasized the close collaboration by stating, “We are hand in glove. We are one team with the United States in this transition."
TroibNews 
Rep. Michael Waltz shared on Sunday that he has engaged in discussions with President Joe Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, emphasizing that both administrations are cooperating on national security matters during this transition phase.
“Jake Sullivan and I have had discussions, we’ve met,” Waltz stated during an interview with Gillian Turner on “Fox News Sunday.” He noted that adversaries who might perceive this as an opportunity to exploit differences between administrations are mistaken. “For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity, that they can play one administration off the other — they are wrong.”
Waltz emphasized unity, stating, “We are hand in glove. We are one team with the United States in this transition."
The congressman from Florida, who is also the first Green Beret to serve in Congress, was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be the national security adviser in the forthcoming administration. This appearance marked Waltz’s first television interview since his appointment, although he is known for having made the most appearances on Fox News among current members of Congress.
Addressing current national security developments, Waltz discussed the intensification of the war in Ukraine. He characterized the Biden administration’s approval of allowing Ukraine to use anti-personnel landmines as reminiscent of “World War I trench warfare.”
“The President-elect has been very concerned about the escalation and where it's all going,” Waltz remarked when asked about Trump's perspective on recent events. He noted the interconnectedness of global tensions, mentioning, “If North Korea has made this move, we have made a move. Russia has now responded. Iran is involved. South Korea's thinking about getting involved. Our allies have now extended the range of their missiles as well.”
Waltz argued for a resolution, stating, “We need to bring this to a responsible end. We need to restore deterrence and peace and get ahead of this escalation later rather than responding to it.”
On the subject of the conflict in Gaza and the Trump administration's views on Middle Eastern conflicts, Waltz commended Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their actions against Hamas and Hezbollah, highlighting recent operations against Hezbollah. He observed that “Hamas has been devastated” and noted that “Iran is incredibly exposed at this point.”
He continued, “I think now is a moment to craft some type of arrangement that doesn't just put a pause for future October 7ths — truly bring stability to the Middle East and sets the stage for what we saw just a few years ago with the Abraham Accords.” This comment referenced the treaties that Israel established during Trump's presidency with Morocco and other nations.
Waltz concluded by reflecting on the progress made in recent years, stating, “We had peace deals being signed on the White House lawn, just four years ago. Look at where we are today. I am confident President Trump and his leadership and the team he is putting around him will get us back to that point in pretty short order.”
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
“Jake Sullivan and I have had discussions, we’ve met,” Waltz stated during an interview with Gillian Turner on “Fox News Sunday.” He noted that adversaries who might perceive this as an opportunity to exploit differences between administrations are mistaken. “For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity, that they can play one administration off the other — they are wrong.”
Waltz emphasized unity, stating, “We are hand in glove. We are one team with the United States in this transition."
The congressman from Florida, who is also the first Green Beret to serve in Congress, was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be the national security adviser in the forthcoming administration. This appearance marked Waltz’s first television interview since his appointment, although he is known for having made the most appearances on Fox News among current members of Congress.
Addressing current national security developments, Waltz discussed the intensification of the war in Ukraine. He characterized the Biden administration’s approval of allowing Ukraine to use anti-personnel landmines as reminiscent of “World War I trench warfare.”
“The President-elect has been very concerned about the escalation and where it's all going,” Waltz remarked when asked about Trump's perspective on recent events. He noted the interconnectedness of global tensions, mentioning, “If North Korea has made this move, we have made a move. Russia has now responded. Iran is involved. South Korea's thinking about getting involved. Our allies have now extended the range of their missiles as well.”
Waltz argued for a resolution, stating, “We need to bring this to a responsible end. We need to restore deterrence and peace and get ahead of this escalation later rather than responding to it.”
On the subject of the conflict in Gaza and the Trump administration's views on Middle Eastern conflicts, Waltz commended Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their actions against Hamas and Hezbollah, highlighting recent operations against Hezbollah. He observed that “Hamas has been devastated” and noted that “Iran is incredibly exposed at this point.”
He continued, “I think now is a moment to craft some type of arrangement that doesn't just put a pause for future October 7ths — truly bring stability to the Middle East and sets the stage for what we saw just a few years ago with the Abraham Accords.” This comment referenced the treaties that Israel established during Trump's presidency with Morocco and other nations.
Waltz concluded by reflecting on the progress made in recent years, stating, “We had peace deals being signed on the White House lawn, just four years ago. Look at where we are today. I am confident President Trump and his leadership and the team he is putting around him will get us back to that point in pretty short order.”
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
