Trump Names Matt Whitaker, Former Acting Attorney General, Ambassador to NATO

Donald Trump has named Matt Whitaker, a former Acting Attorney General, the next ambassador to NATO.

Former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has been named by Donald Trump to be the United States’ ambassador to NATO, the key Western alliance that Trump has long questioned.

Trump said in a statement that Whitaker is “a tough warrior and dedicated Patriot” who would “strengthen connections with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” He will also “ensure the United States’ interests are promoted and safeguarded.”

Because Whitaker has more experience in law enforcement than foreign affairs, his selection as the US representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is noteworthy. Whitaker was first viewed as a potential attorney general candidate, but he was passed up in favor of Matt Gaetz, a fervent Trump supporter whose nomination has caused rifts within the Republican Party.

Trump has always criticized NATO, thus his appointment as ambassador is very significant.

Trump has frequently questioned the United States’ responsibilities under the NATO alliance and voiced his displeasure with member nations who do not fulfill the defense expenditure requirement of 2% of their GDP.

From November 2018 to February 2019, Whitaker was acting attorney general during the last phases of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling. Before that, he served as Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions’ chief of staff. He took over as acting attorney general when Sessions was fired for recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Until William Barr was named attorney general in February 2019, Whitaker held the post without Senate confirmation.

Whitaker has been a vocal opponent of federal criminal charges against Trump in recent years, which are probably going to be dropped when Trump wins the election.

Whitaker, who frequently appears on Fox News, has supported Republican assertions that the last four years have seen the politicization of the Justice Department.

Since his 2016 campaign, when he implied that the United nations would leave NATO if member nations didn’t meet their defense expenditure commitments, Trump’s position on the alliance has alarmed Western allies.