The US Senate approved the candidacy proposed by Donald Trump for the post of the country’s ambassador to NATO. Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker became the new representative of the United States to the Alliance. About this informs Political.
The vote on Whitaker was delayed for several hours by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, who gave a speech for more than 25 hours protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress.
The publication notes that Whitaker’s appointment came as a surprise to NATO allies, because he does not have significant experience in the field of security or international relations. However, he is expected to play a role in Trump’s campaign to pressure allies to increase defense spending. The US president demands that the members of the Alliance adhere to the commitment to finance defense at the level of at least 2% of GDP.
Trump has also repeatedly questioned the US commitment to NATO’s principle of collective security, under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. However, during a Senate hearing on his appointment, Whitaker assured that the administration’s position on supporting the Alliance remains “unwavering” and “ironclad.”
We will remind that Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of the US leaving NATO. After his return to power, Western media reported that he might initiate the withdrawal of American troops from Europe. Also, Trump has repeatedly criticized European states for the insufficient level of defense funding, insisting on increasing spending to 5% of GDP, while some countries have not even reached 2%.
