President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will nominate former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, a close ally, to serve as the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
In a statement, Trump said that “Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.” Trump added: “Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability — He will put AMERICA FIRST.”
Whitaker’s foreign policy views are largely unknown. A college football player turned prosecutor, Whitaker served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and worked as a commentator before joining the Justice Department in 2017 as Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ chief of staff. Whitaker was seen as a contender for attorney general or another top law enforcement job in a second Trump administration. He has never served in a foreign policy or national security-focused role.
A review of his X account found only three posts mentioning Ukraine — one of which saw him praise Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, for donating protective equipment to Ukraine in the early days of Russia’s 2022 invasion. Days after the invasion, he also wrote on social media: “It is time to put #russia on the sidelines of everything.”
