Waltz’s use of the app Signal to discuss highly sensitive government information with colleagues may have violated the espionage act but the three-time Florida congressman survived, arguably because he had not broken the tacit agreement Trump cares about most: unwavering loyalty.
Cornered about the major security breach by the press in the White House, Waltz launched a frenzied verbal attack on the media for “making up lies” about the US President and, glancing along the Cabinet table at his boss, declared: “The world owes President Trump a favour.”
With anonymous administration figures calling for his head and members of Congress lambasting his sloppiness, Waltz may have erred spectacularly but his unwavering loyalty was cashed in for an endorsement from the commander-in-chief.
During his first term, Trump did not hesitate to sack members of his administration for far less. Then, it was full of big political beasts, some of whom saw it as their duty to curb the impulses of the President.
HR McMaster, Trump’s first national security adviser, recalled spending months battling to impose Trump’s will on James Mattis, the then-defence secretary, and Rex Tillerson, the oil magnate turned secretary of state.
Tillerson in particular showed himself unwilling to indulge Trump’s vanity, and was reported to have called his boss a “f---ing moron” as he sought to seize control of foreign policy.
In the end, none of those men made it far into their term before they either fell on their swords or were abruptly sacked.
Even staff found the rapid turnover grimly comical.
Anthony Scaramucci served just 10 days as communications director before being sacked for making ill-advised comments about Steve Bannon, then the White House chief strategist.
His brief tenure became a unit of measurement for how long members of the administration survived, known as a “Mooch”.
Trump is a different political animal this time around and so is his Cabinet, many of whom will have closely observed the President during his time in the White House and afterwards, for his four years of exile.
They have learned that the US President will reward loyalty, just as he has learned he can ride out media outrage armed with a compliant Congress.
Admittedly, Matt Gaetz was forced to withdraw his nomination as Trump’s Attorney-General last year, amid allegations – which he denied – of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old.
Trump was able to ram through other contentious nominees including Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, both of whom were members of the “Houthi PC small group” Signal forum.
Waltz was once seen as a relatively uncontroversial appointment, but the former Green Beret’s much-vaunted competence has been dented by the leak of US war plans. Many are sharpening their knives – but in the end, it is only Trump’s opinion that matters.
The National Security Adviser has already spent 6.4 “Mooches” in office. As long as he abides by Trump’s demand for vociferous loyalty, he is likely to serve many more.