The White House News

President-elect Trump has named his former acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, as the next ambassador to NATO, selecting him to fill the role at a crucial time amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions over defense spending across the Western security alliance.

In a statement, Trump said Whitaker is a “strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.”

“Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability,” Trump wrote. “I have full confidence in Matt’s ability to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication.”

Whitaker was the acting attorney general for about three months during the middle of Trump’s first term; he had been serving as chief of staff to Jeff Sessions for a bit more than a month before Sessions resigned as attorney general in November 2018, opening the role for him.

He was previously a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa under President George W. Bush’s administration.

Whitaker also served in private practice from 2009-17 before rejoining the Department of Justice. He has been a political consultant for the past few years and has three degrees from the University of Iowa.

Whitaker drew controversy during Trump’s first term when he criticized the special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

In 2018, Whitaker refused to recuse himself from the DOJ’s supervisory role that oversaw the Mueller investigation, despite calls from Democrats and other critics about a conflict of interest.

A career ethics official ultimately concluded Whitaker did not have a conflict of interest but said there were reasonable questions about his impartiality.

Mueller ultimately found no evidence of collusion but left open a question of whether Trump obstructed justice during his investigation. Several Trump allies were convicted separately for tax fraud, lying to the FBI or investigators and other charges related to the investigation.

If confirmed by the Senate, Whitaker will work with NATO at a perilous time, as Western allies continue to support Ukraine in the war against Russia. Trump has pledged to end the war by the time he takes office, stoking fears in Europe and among NATO allies that he will concede territory in Ukraine to reach a deal.

Trump is also highly critical of European nations that he says don’t pay enough in defense spending, warning earlier this year he would let Russia “do whatever the hell they want” to allies that don’t pay up.

There are also concerns Trump could withdraw from NATO. Many European nations have been bracing for dramatic changes under Trump, though NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has expressed confidence in working with the incoming administration.

Whitaker joins a growing list of Trump’s foreign policy and national security picks, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of State, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla) for national security adviser and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) for ambassador to the United Nations. He has also selected controversial nominees, including Fox News personality Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence.

Economists are expecting President-elect Trump to place tariffs of about 40 percent on Chinese imports, according to a survey from Reuters.

In the survey of economists, 45 percent said the “level of tariffs imposed by Trump on Chinese goods” will be between 31 percent and 45 percent. Thirty-five percent said the level would be between 15 percent and 30 percent, and 20 percent said the level would be between 46 percent and 60 percent.

Trump has heavily backed tariffs as a way of strengthening the U.S. economy, but critics have argued it could lead to higher prices for consumers as trading partners raise their own tariffs on U.S. exports in response to the U.S. tariffs.

U.S. tariffs are generally meant to protect the production of U.S. goods but can have the effect of raising prices on the goods being hit with tariffs.

Trump has also variously suggested a general tariff of 10 percent and 20 percent aimed at all imported goods to foster investment in the U.S. and boost domestic industry. In his September debate against Vice President Harris, Trump again dug into his promise to increase tariffs on imported goods when discussing economic policy.

“We’re doing tariffs on other countries,” Trump said at the time. “I took in billions and billions of dollars … from China.”

The Reuters survey featured 50 economists and took place Nov. 13-20.

President Biden is ringing in his 82nd birthday on Wednesday, extending his record as America’s oldest sitting president. 

Biden returned to the White House from a six-day trip to South America after 11p.m. on Tuesday. A White House official told The Hill on Wednesday that the president would celebrate his big day with his family.

Biden has typically approached his increasing age with self-deprecating humor.

In a post on Instagram last year as he turned 81, Biden posed for a birthday photo beside a cake seemingly engulfed by an abundance of burning candles.

“Thanks for the birthday well-wishes today, everyone. Turns out on your 146th birthday, you run out of space for candles!” he said in the 2023 social media message.

When asked last year to name the best thing about getting older, Biden told ITK, “Wisdom.”

Biden exited the presidential race in July, following a disastrous debate performance that renewed concerns about his age and fitness for office.

But Biden might not top the age-related record books for long. At 78, former President Trump is the oldest person to ever be elected president following his White House win earlier this month. Trump will have beaten Biden’s age record by five months at the end of his second term in 2029, becoming the oldest president in office at 82 years and seven months.

Former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Jackson round out the top five oldest commanders in chief. 

—Alex Gangitano contributed.

Veteran journalist Bob Woodward said earlier this week that Americans “better be frightened” when it comes to President-elect Trump’s upcoming second term.

“Having chronicled 10 presidents going back to Nixon, they had extraordinary power,” Woodward said Monday on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live,” later adding that Trump will “use it.”

“He used it his first term — maybe not adequately, from his own point of view. So, he is going to use it, and we better be frightened,” he told the host.

The president-elect has a history of commonly calling for antagonistic actions toward those he sees as political enemies and making veiled threats.

In October, Trump suggested during an appearance on Fox News that the National Guard or military should be employed on Election Day to fight against possible disorder from “the enemy from within,” which he said includes “radical-left lunatics”

“We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics.” Trump said at the time, adding, “And I think it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard or, if really necessary, by the military, because they can’t let that happen.”

In his appearance Monday, Woodward said Trump “has totally abandoned the rational approach to getting people to do the things that need to be done in government.” 

“I mean, we are in this zoo, and he’s in charge for a long time and has lots of power. We should not kid ourselves,” he continued. “And, I believe from doing books on him, spending hours interviewing him, that he’s trying to recreate the imperial presidency.”

His comments come as former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), whom Trump selected for attorney general in his next administration, has called for taking away funds and doing away with “the FBI, CDC, ATF, DOJ, every last one of them, if they do not come to heel.”

The Hill has reached out to Trump’s transition team for comment.