Month: May 2025

National security advisor Mike Waltz will be leave his post in the Trump administration, which comes on the heels of controversy over the creation of a Signal messaging app group that inadvertently included The Atlantic Editor Jeffrey Goldberg, and was used to discuss U.S. military plans between high-level administration officials back in March. The group’s other members were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director Scott Ratcliff, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

President Trump said Thursday he’s nominating Waltz to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; in the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as national security adviser. Waltz will need to be confirmed by the Senate for the ambassador role. Mr. Trump wrote: “I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. 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. I know he will do the same in his new role. In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department.”  Waltz said on X, “I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation.”

Waltz is the first major official to leave the White House since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term in January.  Deputy national security advisor Alex Wong is also expected to leave his job, according to sources. Wong served in the first Trump administration as deputy special representative for North Korea and also as deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the State Department.

Trump had recently defended Waltz, telling NBC News the day after details came to light in an article by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg that Waltz “has learned a lesson and is a good man.” Trump was asked further about Waltz’s future by The Atlantic in an April 24 interview. He said Waltz was “fine” despite being “beat up” after accidentally adding Goldberg to the group chat.

Editorial credit: noamgalai / Shutterstock.com

Kohl’s announced on Thursday that CEO Ashley Buchanan has been terminated for cause, after an internal investigation found that Buchanan had arranged vendor deals that involved undisclosed personal relationships, violating company ethics policies. Buchanan had served as chief executive for only five months prior to his dismissal.

In an official statement, the retailer said, “An independent investigation led by external legal counsel and supervised by the Board’s Audit Committee found that Mr. Buchanan instructed the company to enter into vendor agreements that involved undisclosed conflicts of interest. The Board concluded these actions warranted termination for cause.” Kohl’s emphasized that no other employees were implicated in the matter, with the board also clarified that Buchanan’s termination was not connected to the company’s business performance, financial reporting, or operational results.

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Buchanan’s dismissal stems from an investigation led by outside legal counsel and monitored by the board’s audit committee. The probe revealed that Buchanan had pushed for Kohl’s to do business with a vendor started by someone with whom he had a personal relationship. The deals were made on “highly unusual terms” that favored the vendor. Buchanan also arranged a multimillion-dollar consulting contract with the same individual, who was involved with the consulting team. In both cases, he failed to disclose the relationship, violating the company’s code of ethics. The company did not disclose the identities of the vendors involved or provide details about the nature of the conflict of interest, but as a result, Buchanan will forfeit all equity awards and repay part of his $2.5 million signing bonus

Buchanan had replaced former CEO Tom Kingsbury, who had taken on the role in an interim capacity in December 2022 before being officially named CEO in February 2023. Kingsbury continues to serve on the board and will remain in an advisory role until he retires next month. Prior to joining Kohl’s, Buchanan had served as the chief executive of arts and crafts retailer Michaels.

Effective immediately, Kohl’s Chairman Michael Bender has stepped in as interim CEO. As part of his new role, Bender will leave his positions on several board committees, including the audit, compensation, and ESG committees, according to a recent regulatory disclosure. Bender brings with him over 30 years of leadership experience in the retail and consumer goods sectors, having previously served as CEO of Eyemart Express and held senior roles at Walmart, L Brands, and PepsiCo. The board also said they have launched a formal search for a new permanent CEO and plans to announce a new chairperson in due time.

John Schlifske, chair of Kohl’s Nominating and ESG Committee, said in a statement that “we are confident in Michael’s ability to guide the company during this transition.” Bender also expressed his commitment to the company’s strategic direction, stating, “together with our leadership team, board, and dedicated associates, I’m focused on advancing our long-term plan to deliver value to shareholders.”

Editorial credit: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com