Trump taps Matthew Whitaker, former acting attorney general, for NATO ambassador

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

52% : Trump then tasked Whitaker with the job, who was then the chief of staff at the Justice Department.
47% : Trump cannot formally nominate his selections until he assumes the presidency in JanuaryQuestions swirled this week about whether the Republican-led Senate will confirm picks such as Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health and human services secretary, all of whom have been under scrutiny for past comments relating to the areas of government they would oversee and had allegations related to sexual misconduct made against them.
45% : In a statement Wednesday, Trump said Whitaker "will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended. ...
43% : We're tracking the people Trump has picked or is considering to fill his Cabinet and key positions in his administration.
39% : On the campaign trail, Trump stirred fears among European diplomats when he boasted that he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies who don't spend enough on their defense pact.
34% : Trump -- whose long-standing skepticism of NATO has worried America's European allies -- said in a statement that Whitaker would "put AMERICA FIRST" in global dealings.
33% : The appointment raised eyebrows among Democrats who were worried Trump wanted to obstruct the investigation.
28% : While few policymakers say they expect Trump to formally pull the United States from NATO, many worry that a more transactional approach from Washington or a disregard for NATO's core tenets could undermine the defense alliance.
26% : Trump has made past complaints that European allies don't pull their weight in military spending.
22% : Trump had forced out Sessions, his attorney general, whom he said Sessions had not done enough to protect him from the Mueller investigation.
21% : Trump chose Whitaker to step in as his acting attorney general during a tumultuous period in his first term, after he forced out his Justice Department head, Jeff Sessions, as the Justice Department was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
16% : Trump appointed Whitaker to temporarily head the Justice Department in November 2018, amid the investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into whether Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia.

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