Matthew Whitaker, who has been chosen by Donald Trump to be the U.S. ambassador to NATO, has not said much about the alliance or foreign policy.
Whitaker, who was selected by the president-elect on Wednesday, has no background in foreign policy or national security. Instead, his background is in law enforcement, having served as a U.S. attorney in Iowa from 2004 to 2009 and as acting U.S. attorney general between November 2018 and February 2019.
While he has not directly spoken about foreign policy, he has made clear his America-First position, a trait that was praised by Trump when he posted about Whitaker's selection on Truth Social.
"Matt is a strong warrior and a loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended," Trump said. "Matt will strengthen relationships without NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability."
Whitaker has frequently criticized the federal criminal cases against Trump, repeating Trump's rhetoric about them that insists they represent a weaponization of the justice system.
Trump has often spoken out against how much money the U.S. spends on NATO, calling for European nations to meet certain defense spending guidelines as members of the alliance.
At a rally this past February, Trump created an international controversy after saying he would "encourage" Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to nations that do not meet the NATO guidelines.
He said: "You didn't pay? You're delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills."
Whitaker is the co-chair of the Center for Law and Justice at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a nonprofit that promotes policies that prioritize U.S. interests.
Newsweek has contacted the AFPI via email for comment on Whitaker's behalf.
In the AFPI's most recent post about the Ukraine war, retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg wrote: "The U.S. must abandon the foreign policy establishment's view that this war is a zero-sum game in which Putin's removal from power and the total defeat of Russia is the only acceptable 'win.'"
He went on: "The U.S. should instead pursue a negotiated end-state by moving beyond the NATO membership line for Ukraine in favor of bilateral security support. The U.S. should also leverage military aid to Ukraine, making any additional U.S. aid packages contingent on Ukrainian officials agreeing to join peace talks with Russia."
There is no indication as to how far these views are held by Whitaker.
Retired Air Force General Philip Breedlove, a former supreme allied commander of NATO, told the Associated Press that the "bottom line" for a NATO ambassador is to be seen as having "the credibility of the president when they speak."
Trump's first-term NATO ambassador, former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, did not have a great deal of diplomatic or military experience either, but she had been involved in foreign policy issues while in Congress.
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