WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday chose Matthew Whitaker as his nominee to be US ambassador to NATO, selecting a loyalist who briefly served as acting attorney-general during Trump’s first White House term.
“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,” Trump said.
NATO has been bracing for Trump’s return to the White House after he threatened in February to stop guaranteeing US protection for member states if he did not believe they contributed enough financially.
Alliance chief Mark Rutte was quick to congratulate the Republican after his election victory and played up the positive impact he said Trump could have.
“His leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO,” Rutte said.
US relations with NATO were strained during Trump’s first term, as the Republican president criticised the alliance and accused European members of spending too little on defence.
Mr Whitaker has been actively involved with the America First Policy Institute, a right-leaning think-tank that has been working closely with Trump’s campaign to shape policy for his second term, Reuters reported.
Trump has offered few foreign policy specifics, but supporters say the force of his personality and his approach will help bend foreign leaders to his will and calm what Republicans describe as a “world on fire” amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
On Tuesday, Trump nominated Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, to lead the Department of Education, which he has pledged to abolish.
Describing McMahon as a “fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights,” Trump said in a statement: “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”
Trump is filling key posts in his second administration, and it’s shaping up much differently than his first.
List of Trump’s Cabinet Picks So Far
- White House chief of staff: Susie Wiles
- Secretary of state: Marco Rubio
- Attorney general: Matt Gaetz
- Deputy attorney general: Todd Blanche
- HHS secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- U.N. ambassador: Elise Stefanik
- “Border czar”: Tom Homan
- Defence secretary: Pete Hegseth
- Secretary of veterans affairs: Doug Collins
- National security adviser: Michael Waltz
- Interior secretary: Doug Burgum
- Secretary of energy: Chris Wright
- Secretary of transportation: Sean Duffy
- Secretary of commerce: Howard Lutnick
- Secretary of education: Linda McMahon
- White House counsel: William McGinley
- US Ambassador to NATO: Matthew Whitaker
- Secretary of homeland security: Kristi Noem
- CIA director: John Ratcliffe
- Director of national intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard
- EPA administrator: Lee Zeldin
- Solicitor general: Dean John Sauer
- FCC chairman: Brendan Carr
- Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator: Dr. Mehmet Oz
- US ambassador to Israel: Mike Huckabee
- US attorney for the Southern District of New York: Jay Clayton
- Department of Government Efficiency: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy
- Deputy chief of staff: Dan Scavino
- Deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser: Stephen Miller
- Deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs: James Blair
- Deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel: Taylor Budowich
- Presidential Personnel Office head: Sergio Gor
- White House Communications Director: Steven Cheung
- White House press secretary: Karoline Leavitt
