ELISE STEFANIK NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR IN U.N.
By: NYT/Panopticum
Photo: N. York’s 21st District
In one of his first cabinet-level personnel decisions, the president-elect has chosen the Republican member of Congress from New York to represent the United States at the United Nations.
President-elect Donald J. Trump has offered Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York, the role of U.N. ambassador in his upcoming administration.
Ms. Stefanik, who represents an upstate New York district in the House and is a member of the Republican leadership in the chamber, has been a vocal supporter of Mr. Trump. His decision to name her to the post was reported earlier by CNN.
Ms. Stefanik announced on social media that she had accepted the offer, saying she was ready to pursue “peace through strength leadership on the world stage.”
She has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, and had a high-profile role in the congressional hearings that led to the resignations of several university presidents over their handling of campus unrest following the terror attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
She also impressed Mr. Trump years ago with an outspoken defense of him during his first impeachment trial in the House.
Ms. Stefanik, 40, emerged as a key ally to Mr. Trump during his first impeachment proceeding. She has been chair of the House Republican conference, but has minimal experience in foreign policy and national security. She has served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Let’s remind, Donald J. Trump said that he would not invite Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, to join his incoming administration. Also, Ms. Haley was also Mr. Trump’s last rival to drop out of the race for the Republican nomination. Just days before the election, Ms. Haley said the Trump campaign’s rhetoric was driving away women and minorities, citing the racist and misogynistic remarks by speakers at a Trump rally held at Madison Square Garden in October.
