Whitaker was selected because he is a ’strong warrior and loyal patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended,’ Trump said.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Nov. 20 that he has chosen former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to be the U.S. ambassador to NATO.
In a statement released on social media, the president-elect said Whitaker was selected because he is a “strong warrior and loyal patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.”
“[Whitaker will] strengthen relationships with our NATO allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to peace and stability,” Trump said.
Whitaker, he also suggested, will promote Trump’s “peace through strength” foreign policy agenda.
Other than Whitaker, Trump selected former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be his U.S. ambassador to Israel and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. All three roles require confirmation in the Senate unless Trump opts to use recess appointments.
Whitaker, who was a tight end on the University of Iowa’s football team, started his role as acting attorney general in November 2018 before leaving in February 2019, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at then-President Trump’s request.
Before that, he served as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa between 2004 and 2009. Later, he was Sessions’s chief of staff from October 2017 until November 2018.
So far, Whitaker has not publicly commented on Trump’s announcement.
Since leaving office, Whitaker has frequently appeared on Fox News, giving his opinions on the many legal issues Trump has faced since he left the White House in early 2021.
About two weeks ago, he told Fox News that he believes Trump should be granted a “clean slate” from his legal cases, following Trump’s election win on Nov. 5.
He was also asked in that segment whether he might serve as Trump’s attorney general. However, Trump last week named former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to be his attorney general, although some Republican senators have signaled in media interviews that Gaetz’s nomination may turn into a protracted, uphill battle.
