Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), President-elect Trump’s choice for national security adviser in his next administration, said Sunday that the Trump transition team is working “hand in glove” with the Biden administration on national security.
“Jake and I, [White House national security adviser] Jake Sullivan and I have had discussions. We've met,” Waltz told anchor Gillian Turner on “Fox News Sunday.”
“For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity that they can play one administration off the other, they're wrong and we are — we are hand in glove. We are — we are one team with the United States in this transition,” he added.
Trump has said on Truth Social that Waltz, who is a part of the House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees, was an “expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran and global terrorism” and a “champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of peace through strength.”
The 2024 presidential election was marked by strife and chaos, featuring Trump facing assassination attempts, a candidate swap at the top of the Democratic ticket and deep political polarization.
In the wake of the high-tension election cycle, President Biden and the president-elect had a meeting in the Oval Office earlier this month. The current president said he was anticipating “having a smooth transition” during the meeting.
“It will be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe,” Trump said in response.
Waltz said in his “Fox News Sunday” interview that the president-elect “has a mandate to execute these policies that he has outlined and to continue the great policies he had in his first — in his first term” when it comes to national security.
