Rep. Elise Stefanik, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York (stefanik.house.gov)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik became the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress when elected in 2014 at age 30 to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District. The New York congresswoman is a staunch ally of Trump who was one of his biggest defenders during the former president’s first impeachment trial in 2019. She became House Republican Chair in 2021, replacing Liz Cheney who was ousted from the position after her infamous rebellion against Trump MAGA politics. As chair, Stefanik is the fourth-ranking House Republican.
“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 nomination requires Senate confirmation, which Stefanik is expected to get as Republicans now control the Senate. Stefanik was born and raised in Upstate New York. She graduated from Harvard and went on to work in the George W. Bush administration as a staff member for the U.S. Domestic Policy Council. After entering Congress, Stefanik was known as a moderate conservative but then moved to the far right by aligning herself with then-president Trump. She strongly backed Trump’s attempts to overthrow the 2020 presidential election.
Stefanik Is Strong Defender Of Israel In The War In Gaza
Stefanik is also known as a strong defender of Israel in the war in Gaza and a leading voice against antisemitism on college campuses. During congressional hearings in December 2023, she fiercely questioned the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and MIT about rising antisemitism on college campuses. Massive student protests erupted on college campuses nationwide against the war in Israel. Stefanik accused the leaders of being evasive during the congressional hearing about whether calls by students for the genocide of Jews would constitute harassment under the schools’ codes of conduct. The presidents of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania resigned after facing mounting public pressure to step down. Both had declined to say unequivocally if calls for the genocide of Jews would constitute harassment at their schools.
ISRAEL UN Ambassador Congratulates Stefanik’s Nomination
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations at press conference prior to speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at world headquarters in New York Aug. 20, 2019.
“Congratulations Rep. Stefanik on your nomination as the next U.S. Ambassador to the UN,” Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon wrote of social media platform X. “At a time when hate and lies fill the halls of the UN, your unwavering moral clarity is needed more than ever. Wishing you success in standing firm for truth and justice.
Stefanik Would Replace Biden Ambassador Linda Greenfield-Thomas
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Representative to the United Nations
If confirmed, Stefanik will replace current U.S. ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield who has served as President Biden’s top diplomat at the UN since 2021.
