President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he withdraws Elise Stefanik’s nomination for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, opting to keep her in Congress to protect the Republican Party’s slim House majority.
“With a very tight majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People,” he added.
Trump has not yet announced a new nominee for the UN ambassador role.
Republicans regained control of both the House and Senate in the 2024 election that returned Trump to the White House. However, their grip on the House is fragile, holding just a 218-213 majority, making every vote critical for advancing legislation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson praised Stefanik’s decision, emphasizing the importance of keeping strong leadership in Congress.
“It is well known Republicans have a razor-thin House majority, and Elise’s agreement to withdraw her nomination will allow us to keep one of the toughest, most resolute members of our Conference in place to help drive forward President Trump’s America First policies,” Johnson said in a social media post.
Two key special elections on April 1 will determine replacements for former Reps. Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz. Waltz joined the Trump administration as National Security Advisor, while Gaetz was initially nominated for Attorney General before withdrawing due to misconduct allegations.
Stefanik was Trump’s last cabinet-level nominee awaiting confirmation. She had already been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with bipartisan support on January 30 and was expected to be confirmed by the full Senate.
She gained national attention in 2023 for her tough questioning of university presidents during a congressional hearing on antisemitism on college campuses. Her strong stance against antisemitism has made her a favorite among pro-Israel groups.
At her confirmation hearing in January, Stefanik pledged to combat “antisemitic rot” at the UN and criticized U.S. funding for entities that she argued were “counter to American interests, antisemitic, or engaging in fraud, corruption, or terrorism.”
Earlier this month, she received applause at the Anti-Defamation League summit for advocating stricter action against campus antisemitism, calling for the deportation of foreign students who engage in antisemitic or pro-terrorism activities, and urging pressure on the UN.
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However, she also faced boos when she claimed that the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel “would never have happened” under Trump.
Since his return to office on January 20, Trump has taken a tough stance on the UN. He has:
Halted U.S. engagement with the UN Human Rights Council. Extended the suspension of funding for the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA. Ordered a review of the UN cultural agency UNESCO. Announced plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization.
In February, Trump criticized the UN, stating it has “great potential… but they got to get their act together.” The UN pushed back, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres defending his efforts to reform the organization.
With Stefanik staying in Congress, the GOP retains a critical vote in the House, ensuring stronger support for Trump’s legislative agenda.