President-elect Trump on Wednesday nominated former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to be the new U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
President Trump described Whitaker, an Iowa native, as “a strong warrior and a loyal patriot who will steadfastly advance and protect America's national interests.”
“Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO allies and stand firm against threats to peace and stability. He will put America first,” Trump said in a statement. “I have full confidence in Matt's ability to represent the United States with strength, integrity, and unwavering dedication as we continue to promote peace through strength, freedom, and prosperity around the world. I look forward to working closely with him.”
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Former U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker speaks at a rally for Donald Trump at Montana State University on August 9, 2024 in Bozeman, Montana. (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
“Matt is also a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and graduated with a BA, MBA, and J.D. from the University of Iowa, where he played football and was a recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor,” Trump said. he added.
This appointment marks a critical juncture for the Alliance.
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for Russia's use of nuclear weapons, following President Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to attack targets inside Russian territory with long-range missiles provided by the United States. It's movement.
The new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Russia to a conventional attack on Russia by any country with the support of a nuclear-armed state.
Russia's Ministry of Defense said Ukraine fired six US-made ATACMS missiles at military facilities in Russia's Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, early Tuesday morning, and air defense forces shot down five of them and killed one more. It added that it was damaged. The Ukrainian military claimed the attack hit a Russian ammunition depot.
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President Putin first announced changes to nuclear doctrine in September, when he chaired a meeting to discuss the amendments. He previously warned the United States and other NATO allies that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied long-range weapons to attack Russian territory would mean Russia and NATO were at war. was.
This is a developing story. Please check the latest information. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
