The U.S. Senate confirmed Matt Whitaker late Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The confirmation, voted 52-45, is at a time of increasing alarm over the evolving U.S. approach to the alliance. During his confirmation hearing, Whitaker reassured senators that the Trump administration’s pledge to NATO is “ironclad.”
Who Is Matt Whitaker?
Matt Whitaker, or Matthew Whitaker, has had a long tenure in the U.S. Justice Department. He was Acting Attorney General from 2018 to 2019 under Trump’s first term. Previously, he was Chief of Staff to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Whitaker started working as a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa from 2004 to 2009 during President George W. Bush’s administration. He possesses a Master of Business Administration, Juris Doctor, and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Iowa.
Following Trump’s return to the White House for his second term, Whitaker was in the running for a high-ranking job at the Justice Department. Instead of a DOJ appointment, however, he was picked for the NATO ambassadorship. In appointing Whitaker, Trump called him “a strong warrior and loyal patriot” who “will advance and protect the United States’ interests.”
Trump’s NATO Strategy Under Scrutiny
Trump has long been a doubter of NATO, the Cold War-era military alliance created to protect against threats from the Soviet Union. His latest strategy has alarmed allies, particularly after he criticized European allies and sought to tighten relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A central feature of Trump’s NATO policy is his insistence that alliance partners boost their defense spending rather than lean on the U.S. to pay the costs. His position has generated arguments regarding the future role of the U.S. within NATO and how it will manage its commitments under Trump.
With Whitaker’s confirmation, everyone waits with bated breath to see how he will navigate these diplomatic challenges and if his position will serve to stabilize the U.S. position within NATO during this period of international uncertainty.
