US President Donald Trump's nominee for US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, pledged on Tuesday to strengthen NATO and said the Republican president is committed to the alliance.
"If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to strengthen the alliance, ensure the security of the American people, and uphold our nation's role as a beacon of freedom and liberty," Whitaker said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"President Trump has been clear. The United States remains committed to NATO and peace through strength," he said.
Whitaker, 55, a lawyer with little foreign policy experience, worked at the Justice Department during Trump's first term, including three months from late 2018 to early 2019 as acting attorney general.
His nomination is expected to be confirmed, as Trump's Republicans have a majority in the Senate.
Whitaker's hearing came after a shift in US policy towards Russia and Ukraine under Trump that has shocked traditional NATO allies in Europe by leaving Ukraine increasingly vulnerable as it fights a Russian invasion.
Trump is also demanding that European NATO members increase their defense spending, as European countries on average spend below NATO's two percent GDP guideline, while the US funds nearly two-thirds of NATO's military budget.
Trump has called on NATO members to spend five percent of their GDP on defense, which is far more than Washington spends.
He said he was not sure the US should spend anything on NATO, which sparked speculation that he might withdraw the US from the alliance, despite US law prohibiting the president from doing so unilaterally.
Whitaker said that if his nomination is confirmed, he will visit every NATO member in the first 30 days to discuss Trump's demand that each member spend five percent of its GDP on defense.
"I believe that a strong NATO can continue to serve as a foundation for peace and prosperity, but its vitality rests on each Ally doing their fair share by growing our economies and investing in our common defense," he said.
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