President Trump announced that former Acting Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker will serve as his ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“Matt 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 – He will put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said.

“I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to promote PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, Freedom, and Prosperity around the World,” he continued.

“Matt is also the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, and is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A., MBA and J.D., where he played football, and received the Big Ten Medal of Honor,” he added.

( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Nov 20, 2024, 11:08 AM ET ) pic.twitter.com/eNYu6MHyXN

— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) November 20, 2024

A closer look:

Fox News reports:

The appointment Wednesday comes at a significant juncture for the alliance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for the Kremlin’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows President Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with American-supplied long-range missiles.

The new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles early Tuesday at a military facility in Russia’s Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, adding that air defenses shot down five of them and damaged one more. Ukraine’s military claimed the strike hit a Russian ammunition depot.

Putin first announced changes in the nuclear doctrine in September, when he chaired a meeting discussing the proposed revisions. He has previously warned the U.S. and other NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied longer-range weapons to hit Russian territory would mean that Russia and NATO are at war.

“@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,” Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) commented.

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

WATCH:

Trump nominates Matt Whitaker for NATO ambassador pic.twitter.com/JBOxbvvsWY

— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) November 20, 2024

From The Hill:

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.