U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump selected Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, installing a loyal lieutenant in his movement’s political and cultural wars with Democrats and the federal bureaucracy, a reliable anti-abortion proponent, and a darling of Israel’s American supporters.
In a statement Sunday night to the New York Post, Trump said he was “honored to nominate” the chair of the House Republican Conference to his Cabinet, saying that “Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.”
In nominating Stefanik, Trump is placing an unwavering supporter of Israel — which has contributed handsomely to her campaign coffers — inside the U.N. at a time of mounting international condemnation of the Jewish state’s conduct in wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
About the author
Colum Lynch
Colum Lynch is an award-winning reporter and Senior Global Reporter for Devex. He covers the intersection of development, diplomacy, and humanitarian relief at the United Nations and beyond. Prior to Devex, Colum reported on foreign policy and national security for Foreign Policy Magazine and the Washington Post. Colum was awarded the 2011 National Magazine Award for digital reporting for his blog Turtle Bay. He has also won an award for groundbreaking reporting on the U.N.’s failure to protect civilians in Darfur.
