President-elect Donald Trump has announced Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as his choice for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement, confirming earlier reports from CNN that Stefanik was offered the position.
Stefanik, a New York congresswoman and the fourth-ranking House Republican, has been a loyal ally to Trump and a major fundraiser for the GOP. As chair of the House Republican Conference, Stefanik has long been one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in Congress. She gained prominence for her combative defense of Trump during his 2019 impeachment hearings, earning the president’s praise as a “Republican star.” Stefanik continued to back Trump following the 2020 election, objecting to the certification of Joe Biden and amplifying Trump’s claims of election fraud.
Stefanik rose to her current role in May 2021, replacing then-Rep. Liz Cheney after Cheney publicly criticized Trump’s election claims. Stefanik serves on the Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and last year led efforts to hold college leaders accountable for their handling of antisemitism issues during a House hearing.
