In a closely watched decision, the Senate confirmed Mike Waltz, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Friday afternoon, as the Daily Caller reports.

The confirmation, which came just before the U.N. General Assembly begins on Sept. 23, fills the last vacancy in Trump's cabinet amidst global tensions and follows a contentious nomination process.

Waltz's journey to this role began earlier this year when President Trump nominated him for the U.N. post on May 1, after serving as national security adviser for just over three months.

Controversy shadows early tenure

During his time as national security adviser, Waltz faced scrutiny for including Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic and a known critic of Trump, in a Signal group chat discussing pending military strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen in March 2025.

The messages from that chat were later published, sparking controversy over security protocols.

Despite this, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that the president "continues to have the utmost confidence in his national security team, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz."

Nomination process encounters hurdles

Waltz was Trump's second choice for the U.N. role, as the initial nomination of Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York was withdrawn by the White House in late March.

After Waltz's nomination, he was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 24, but faced delays when several nominees, including Waltz, were sent back to the committee in early September due to concerns raised by Democrats.

He cleared the committee again on Wednesday, with Jeanne Shaheen, the panel's top Democrat, voting in favor, while Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was the only Republican to oppose.

Senate vote reflects deep divisions

The final Senate vote on Friday was nearly along party lines, with a tally of 47 to 43 confirming Waltz's appointment.

Notably, three Democrats -- John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Mark Kelly of Arizona -- crossed party lines to support Waltz, while Rand Paul remained the sole Republican dissenter.

This division underscored the contentious nature of the nomination, which took nearly eight months into Trump's second term to finalize.

Global challenges await

Waltz steps into the U.N. role at a critical time, with the General Assembly set to begin on Sept .23 in New York City, and major international issues demanding attention.

Current global tensions include Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, rising friction between China and Taiwan, and delicate negotiations to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

During his committee hearing, Waltz emphasized the need for "major" reform at the U.N., while also noting there's "good and meaningful work to be done," and told Senator Shaheen it was "absolutely critical" for the U.S. to counter China's expanding influence.