Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 21 regarding her nomination to be ambassador to the United Nations.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
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who: Elise Stefanik
was nominated for: United States Ambassador to the United Nations
you may know her: As a member of the House of Representatives, Stefanik was a key defender of Trump during the first impeachment proceedings against him. More recently, she became known for asking pointed questions of several university presidents about what she called anti-Semitism.
Learn more about Stefanik:
- She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 at the age of 30, making her the youngest female member at the time.
- She is a moderate Republican who has moved to the right in alignment with Trump.
What this role does: The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is an important diplomatic post that, in some administrations, has cabinet status. Ambassadors negotiate resolutions and speak on behalf of the United States in world organizations.
When Elise Stefanik was elected to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District in 2014, she was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She is considered a moderate conservative and worked for then-President George W. Bush and Congressman Paul Ryan. And she was criticizing Trump when the information leaked access hollywood This tape was released in 2016, say trump He made “inappropriate and offensive comments.”
But on Tuesday, Stefanik faced questions from senators during her confirmation hearing about what kind of UN ambassador she would be.
“Together, we will deliver reforms and ensure that our resources go to programs within the United Nations that operate based on the rule of law and have a foundation of transparency, accountability and strength. “I think it’s necessary. Our national security is protected in our partnership,” she said.
Stefanik came into the spotlight in 2019, vigorously defending President Trump during his first term against allegations that he withheld military aid to Ukraine for political reasons (a central issue in the first impeachment). did. President Trump praised her performance during the impeachment proceedings, calling her “the new star of the Republican Party.” She later replaced Liz Cheney, a critic of President Trump, as chair of the House Republican Conference, the fourth-ranking position in House Republican leadership.
In 2024, Stefanik made headlines again when he slammed the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology over what he called anti-Semitism on campus during the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza. decorated. stefanik is strong supporter of israel It also decided to cut off communications with UNRWA, the United Nations agency that supports the Palestinians, and ban it from operating in Israel.
If she is confirmed as UN ambassador, that is likely to be an important topic on the agenda. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that if UNRWA were forced to cease operations, Israel would secure the wide range of services and assistance that the UN agency has provided to Palestinians for 75 years.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations does not necessarily hold a cabinet position. In many cases, Republican administrations downgrade the post. But Trump bucked the trend and appointed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to the role, keeping her in the Cabinet during her first term.
