While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, May 2, 2025
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) will replace Mike Waltz (right) as national security adviser, holding both positions for the time being.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Top Trump security official Waltz replaced with Rubio
US President Donald Trump confirmed on May 1 that he was replacing his national security adviser Mike Waltz following a chat group leak, saying he planned to move him to the United Nations.
In the first major Cabinet shake-up of Mr Trump’s new term, the president said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would now also serve as his “interim” national security adviser following Mr Waltz’s departure.
“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Mr Trump said on Truth Social, confirming earlier reports that Mr Waltz was being ousted.
Mr Trump did not give a reason for the move but Mr Waltz had been under pressure over the so-called “Signalgate” scandal since late March. The editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine revealed at the time that Mr Waltz had mistakenly added him to a group chat about US strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels on the commercial messaging app Signal.
Zelensky hails Ukraine-US mineral deal as ‘truly equal’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 1 that a landmark minerals deal with the United States offered “equal” benefits for both sides, despite falling short of the explicit security guarantees Kyiv had sought.
But Mr Zelensky said more pressure was needed on Russia after its military response to the minerals accord signed on April 30 was missile strikes on Kyiv and other towns that left at least two dead and 15 wounded.
The agreement, which has taken months to negotiate, would see the United States and Kyiv jointly develop and invest in Ukraine’s critical mineral resources.
South Korean finance minister Choi resigns
EPA-EFE
South Korea’s finance minister Choi Sang-mok handed in his resignation on May 1 and it was accepted, his ministry said in a statement, as the country’s Parliament was voting on his impeachment.
“Choi’s resignation has been accepted,” said the finance ministry in a statement.
Mr Choi was set to assume the acting presidency on May 2 with acting president Han Duck-soo scheduled to formally resign, in what many saw as a move to launch a presidential bid before a snap election in June.
Tesla chair denies that board sought to replace Elon Musk
REUTERS
The chair of Tesla’s board of directors denied a report that the company had begun to look for a replacement for Mr Elon Musk, the chief executive officer who has been spending much of his time working for President Donald Trump while the automaker’s sales and profits plummet.
Ms Robyn Denholm, who has led the board for more than six years, said on the social platform X that the report in the Wall Street Journal was “absolutely false.”
“The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead,” Ms Denholm said on Tesla’s account on X, the social media firm Mr Musk owns.
New CIA videos aim to lure Chinese officials
PHOTO: REUTERS
The CIA on May 1 rolled out two Chinese-language videos aimed at enticing officials in China to leak secrets to the US, the latest public effort by the intelligence agency to ramp up human intelligence gathering on Washington’s strategic rival.
The move comes after the CIA in October launched a drive to recruit new informants in China, Iran and North Korea by posting instructions online on how to securely contact the agency, following what it said was successful efforts to enlist Russians.
The CIA is confident that the videos are penetrating China’s “Great Firewall” internet restrictions and reaching the intended audience.
