WASHINGTON: The Senate confirmed Matt Whitaker late Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s US ambassador to NATO, a crucial emissary to the Western alliance at a time of growing concern about the American commitment abroad.
Whitaker, who had served in Trump’s first administration at the Justice Department, brings a law enforcement background rather than deep foreign policy or national security ties. He was confirmed by the Senate on a vote of 52-45.
During a confirmation hearing, Whitaker assured senators that the Trump administration’s commitment to the military alliance was “ironclad.”