President-elect Trump has nominated former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to be his ambassador to NATO. "Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended," Trump said in a statement. "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."

BOOM! @MattWhitaker46 is the perfect candidate for U.S. Ambassador to NATO. There will be no more bowing down to our enemies—this is the America First era. pic.twitter.com/kou69gseCH

— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) November 20, 2024

Whitaker served in the Department of Justice throughout Trump's first term, rising from chief of staff to acting attorney general in the interim between the resignation of Rod Rosenstein and the confirmation of Bill Barr.

Key Points

Whitaker is a Trump loyalist who will not be captured by the multi-nationalists in NATO

He has a reputation for persistence and energy.

He can be relied on to both push reluctant allies to spend their fair share on defense while retaining US leadership of a critical alliance at a critical time.