The secretary of state’s trip comes amid an abrupt shift in relations between the United States and Europe after close cooperation during the Biden era.

Yet, in just under two months, NATO has been shaken to its core, challenged increasingly by Russia and the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 from the outside, and by the Trump administration from within, breaking with decades of relatively predictable U.S. leadership.

Matthew Whitaker was confirmed by the Senate to his role as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Whitaker, 55, who served briefly as acting U.S. attorney general during President Donald Trump's first term, was confirmed Tuesday night in a 52-45 vote to be America's representative to the 32-member state North Atlantic Treaty Organization,

Whitaker, who previously served as interim U.S. attorney general in President Donald Trump's first term, was confirmed in a 52-45 vote Tuesday.