The US Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Matt Whitaker, as the new US ambassador to NATO, at a time when concerns over Washington’s commitment to the defense alliance are growing.
Having served in the Department of Justice during Trump’s first administration, Whitaker comes to this role with a background in law enforcement rather than foreign policy or national security.
He was confirmed along party lines with a vote of 52-45.
During his confirmation hearing, Whitaker assured senators that the Trump administration’s commitment to NATO was “ironclad.”
However, Trump has long been skeptical and even hostile towards NATO, which was formed by the US and other countries after World War II as a countermeasure to potential aggression from the Soviet Union at the time.
The future of the US role in the alliance has been questioned due to Trump’s sharp criticisms of European allies and his apparent desire to strengthen ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has pushed other countries to contribute a larger share of their defense budgets rather than “rely” on the US.
Whitaker served as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions during Trump’s first term. He was appointed Acting Attorney General when Sessions was fired after recusing himself from the department’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
He had been considered for a senior position in the Department of Justice upon the president’s return to the White House but ultimately was nominated as the NATO Ambassador.
In his nomination, Trump stated that Whitaker was “a strong fighter and loyal patriot” who “will ensure that the interests of the United States are advanced and protected.”
