President-elect Donald Trump tapped Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in his second term.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump said. “Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.”
The House Republican Conference Chair, who gained prominence for holding universities accountable for their responses to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, has been a fierce critic of the world body.
In October, she called for a “complete reassessment of U.S. funding of the United Nations” in response to efforts by the Palestinian Authority to expel Israel from the United Nations for alleged war crimes and human rights abuses committed in Gaza and West Bank. She has also backed blocking U.S. support for the United Nations Relief Works Agency, the main provider of humanitarian aid to Palestinians living in occupied territories, over accusations the group failed to properly vet staff members for ties to the militant group Hamas.
Stefanik is expected to face little resistance from Republicans in the Senate, as she is considered a close ally of Trump and has extensive relationships in both chambers of Congress.
She brings some foreign policy credentials to the role. Stefanik serves on the House Armed Services Committee and chaired the panel’s Intelligence and Special Operations subcommittee. She also sits on the exclusive House Select Committee on Intelligence. (Politico)
Stefanik told the New York Post in a statement that she’s “honored” and “humbled” to accept the nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
“President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad,” Stefanik said. “America continues to be the beacon of the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek.”
Stefanik said there is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done. “The work ahead is immense as we see antisemitism skyrocketing coupled with four years of catastrophically weak U.S. leadership that significantly weakened our national security and diminished our standing in the eyes of both allies and adversaries,” Stefanik continued.
“I stand ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations. “
