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US Senate confirms Matt Whitaker as Trump's pick for NATO ambassador
2025-04-02 17:41:43 / BOTA
The US Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee, Matt Whitaker, as US ambassador to NATO, at a time when concern about Washington's commitment to the defense alliance is growing.
Having served in the Justice Department during the first Trump 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 by 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 to NATO, which was formed by the US and other countries after World War II as a deterrent to potential aggression by the then-Soviet Union.
The future of the US role in the alliance has been called into question by Trump's sharp criticism of European allies and his apparent desire to strengthen his ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has pushed other countries to contribute a larger portion of their budgets to their defense instead of "relying" on the US.
Whitaker served as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions during Trump's first term. He was tapped to become acting attorney general when Sessions was fired after recusing himself from the department's investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 election.
He was considered for the top job at the Justice Department upon the president's return to the White House, but was ultimately chosen as NATO ambassador.
In his nomination, Trump said in a statement that Whitaker was "a strong fighter and loyal patriot" who "will ensure that the interests of the United States are advanced and protected."
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