President-elect Trump has named his former acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, as the next ambassador to NATO, selecting him to fill the role at a crucial time amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions over defense spending across the Western security alliance.
In a statement, Trump said Whitaker is a “strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.”
“Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability,” Trump wrote. “I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication.”
Whitaker was the acting attorney general for about three months during the middle of Trump’s first term; he had been serving as chief of staff to Jeff Sessions for a bit more than a month before Sessions resigned as attorney general in November 2018, opening the role for him.
He was previously a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa under President George W. Bush’s administration.
Whitaker also served in private practice from 2009-17 before rejoining the Department of Justice. He has been a political consultant for the past few years and has three degrees from the University of Iowa.
Whitaker drew controversy during Trump’s first term when he criticized the special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia to influence the 2016 election.
In 2018, Whitaker refused to recuse himself from the DOJ’s supervisory role that oversaw the Mueller investigation, despite calls from Democrats and other critics about a conflict of interest.
A career ethics official ultimately concluded Whitaker did not have a conflict of interest but said there were reasonable questions about his impartiality.
Mueller ultimately found no evidence of collusion but left open a question of whether Trump obstructed justice during his investigation. Several Trump allies were convicted separately for tax fraud, lying to the FBI or investigators and other charges related to the investigation.
Early reactions to Whitaker’s nomination from lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were split, along party lines.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called him “a good pick” but declined to elaborate.
Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said he knows Whitaker personally and likes him, and said he looks forward to talking with him about his plans as ambassador to NATO.
“We need to make sure we have good relations with our NATO countries, we also need to make sure that our NATO allies are pulling their weight,” he said, referring to members’ pledges to commit 2 percent of GDP to defense spending, a level expected to be reached by 23 of 31 NATO countries this year.
Several Democrats said they were unfamiliar with Whitaker’s background or experience, including Sens. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Tim Kaine (Va.) and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), the incoming Foreign Relations ranking member and co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said he has concerns about Whitaker’s conduct at the Department of Justice and has “no idea what his previous experience is in foreign policy and national security.”
“I have a lot of questions,” he said.
If confirmed by the Senate, Whitaker will work with NATO at a perilous time, as Western allies continue to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. Trump has pledged to end the war by the time he takes office, stoking fears in Europe and among NATO allies that he will concede territory in Ukraine to reach a deal.
Trump is also highly critical of European nations that he says don’t pay enough in defense spending, warning earlier this year he would let Russia “do whatever the hell they want” to allies that don’t pay up.
There are also concerns Trump could withdraw from NATO. Many European nations have been bracing for dramatic changes under Trump, though NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has expressed confidence in working with the incoming administration.
Whitaker joins a growing list of Trump’s foreign policy and national security picks, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of State, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla) for national security adviser and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for ambassador to the United Nations. He has also selected controversial nominees, including Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence.
— Laura Kelly contributed.
Updated: 12:05 p.m.