Outgoing National Security Advisor Michael Waltz has been nominated to be U.N. Ambassador by President Donald Trump, and lawmakers in Tallahassee prepare to head home without finishing the state budget. 

Trump nominating Waltz as U.N. ambassador, hours after reports he was out as national security adviser

President Donald Trump announced Thursday afternoon he is nominating national security adviser Mike Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. 

The announcement came hours after a White House official confirmed to Spectrum News reports that Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, were expected to depart the Trump administration soon. 

Waltz came under searing scrutiny in March after revelations that he added The Atlantic editor-in-chief 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.

“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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “I know he will do the same in his new role.”

Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security adviser while continuing his work at the State Department.

“Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN,” Trump said.

Waltz, 51, a retired Army colonel who served in the House representing Florida’s 6th District for three terms before his elevation to the White House, is the most prominent senior administration official to leave his or her role 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.

The Signal chain also showed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop. Waltz had previously taken “full responsibility” for building the message chain and administration officials described the episode as a “mistake” but one that caused Americans no harm. 

Waltz maintained that he was not sure how Goldberg ended up in the messaging chain, and insisted he did not know the journalist.

Florida lawmakers prepare to head home despite not passing a budget

After weeks of negotiations, Florida lawmakers are planning on taking a break from crafting the state budget.

Florida’s 2025 legislative session will end on Friday, meaning lawmakers at some point will need to return to Tallahassee because they are required to pass a budget by June at the latest.

It’s been almost a decade since the last time Florida lawmakers failed to pass a budget within a 60-day legislative session. After two months, Florida lawmakers still can’t strike a deal.

They’re so gridlocked, in fact, legislative leaders have decided to send their members home..

“As we get towards the end of the 60 days, we are still in conversations with the Senate. But I do want to give you a roadmap for the next week or so. You are obviously not to be here this weekend, nor are you to be here next week,” Florida Speaker of the House Danny Perez said to members.

There’s no word yet on when lawmakers might return to Tallahassee, but leaders appear optimistic about achieving their goal.

“We continue to have productive conversations with the House, and we’re putting together a framework for a budget and I’m optimistic we’ll have more news to share very soon,” Florida Senate President Ben Albritton said.

Florida law requires state lawmakers to pass a balanced budget, and yet despite several offers, the House and Senate remain about $4.4 billion apart.

“There’s been so much Republican infighting. You know, it just feels like we’re letting the people of Florida down. Now we have to come back and finish the budget. I’m confident we’ll get it done, but this is not quite how I would have liked to see things go,” Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell said.

One of the big issues is spending. The House is proposing a historic cut to government spending.

Meanwhile, the Senate is urging them to reconsider amid concerns of a potential budget shortfall.

A proposal aimed at tightening Constitutional amendment rules in Florida advances

The Florida Senate gave approval Thursday to legislation that would put tougher rules in place for proposed Constitutional amendments.

If House Bill 1205 becomes law, everyone involved in gathering petition signatures would have to be a verified Florida resident. The petition sponsor would also be required to post $1 million bond payable to the division of elections.

Additionally, groups submitting signed petitions would have just 10 days to do so, instead of the currently allowed 30.

Republican State Sen. and former Senate President Don Gaetz was the co-sponsor of the Senate version of this bill, and made the case for the chamber to pass the House version, saying that it would also crack down on how the state government can spend money for or against amendments.

That appears to be a reference to money distributed by Hope Florida to a pair of not-for-profits, that was eventually used to combat the recreational marijuana amendment last fall.

“Let me tell you with certainty that the Bradley provision, which we included in this bill, was inspired by individuals who worked in the state government, and are part of the state government now," Gaetz said. "And they engaged in behavior that will now be unlawful, and will now be prevented if we pass this bill."

The bill ultimately passed by a 28-to-10 vote, with all Republicans, plus No Party Affiliation Sen. Jason Pizzo voting in favor.

It will now go back to the House for approval.