Matthew Whitaker

For other people named Matthew Whitaker, see Matthew Whitaker (disambiguation).

Matthew Whitaker
United States Ambassador to NATO
Presumptive nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentDonald Trump
SucceedingScott Oudkirk (acting)
United States Attorney General
Acting
November 7, 2018 – February 14, 2019
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyRod Rosenstein
Preceded by
Succeeded byWilliam Barr
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa
In office
June 15, 2004 – November 25, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Barack Obama
Preceded byStephen Patrick O'Meara
Succeeded byNicholas A. Klinefeldt
Personal details
Born
Matthew George Whitaker

(1969-10-29) October 29, 1969 (age 55)
Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMarci Whitaker[1]
Children3
EducationUniversity of Iowa (BA, MBA, JD)

Matthew George Whitaker (born October 29, 1969) is an American lawyer, lobbyist and politician who served as acting United States Attorney General from November 2018 to February 2019. He was appointed to that position by President Donald Trump after Jeff Sessions resigned at Trump's request.[2] Whitaker had previously served as Chief of Staff for Jeff Sessions from October 2017 to November 2018.[3]

While attending the University of Iowa, Whitaker played tight end for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team, including in the 1991 Rose Bowl.

In 2002, Whitaker was the candidate of the Republican Party for Treasurer of Iowa. From 2004 to 2009, he served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, where he was known for aggressively prosecuting drug traffickers.[4] Whitaker ran in the 2014 Iowa Republican primary for the United States Senate. He later wrote opinion pieces and appeared on talk-radio shows and cable news as the executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a conservative advocacy group.

On December 7, 2018, Trump nominated William Barr for Attorney General.[5] The legality of Whitaker's appointment as acting U.S. Attorney General was challenged in multiple lawsuits,[6] and questioned by legal scholars, commentators, and politicians.[7] On February 15, 2019, after Barr was sworn in on the previous day, Whitaker became a senior counselor in the Office of the Associate Attorney General; he resigned from the Justice Department on March 2, 2019.[8][9][10] After leaving the Justice Department, Whitaker became a guest on news and analysis shows including as a CNN contributor, and was affiliated with the law firm of Graves Garrett. In August 2019, he became a managing director at Axiom Strategies and Clout Public Affairs.[11]

On November 20, 2024, Whitaker was nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to NATO by Donald Trump.[12]

  1. ^ Maffucci, Samantha (February 8, 2019). "Who Is Matthew Whitaker's Wife? New Details On Marci Whitaker". Tango. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  2. ^ "Jeff Sessions forced out as attorney general". CBS News. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
  3. ^ Samuelsohn, Darren; Oprysko, Caitlyn (November 7, 2018). "Sessions ousted". Politico. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  4. ^ "Attorney Goes After Drug Traffickers", The Des Moines Register (March 28, 2005), p. 4B.
  5. ^ Petroski, William (December 7, 2018). "Iowa's Matt Whitaker's future in limbo as Trump's picks William Barr for attorney general". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  6. ^ "After outcry over appointment, Trump's top law enforcer treading..." Reuters. December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference appointment was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Ex-acting AG Matthew Whitaker leaves Justice Department". ABC News. March 3, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  9. ^ Wilber, Del Quentin (March 4, 2019). "Matthew Whitaker, former acting attorney general, leaves Justice Department". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  10. ^ Lynch, Sarah N. (March 4, 2019). "Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general, leaves Justice Dept". Reuters.
  11. ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (August 1, 2019). "Trump's Former Acting Attorney General Lands Political Consulting Job". Bloomberg LLP.
  12. ^ https://apnews.com/article/trump-whitaker-transition-appointment-nato-attorney-general-a09b1214770b86aff85d5ecffaf63a52