Elise Stefanik: Three priorities for Donald Trump’s new UN ambassador

President-elect Donald Trump has named Rep. Elise Stefanik as his ambassador to the United Nations, meaning she will pick up the baton on the United Nations’ three critical policy issues: Israel, Ukraine and China.

In announcing the nomination today, Trump told CBS News: “It is my honor 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.”

The representative of New York’s 21st Congressional District and chair of the House Republican Conference will replace Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US ambassador to the United Nations and has already made a name for herself in Congress as a staunch defender of Israel and a Trump ally at the Securing the southern border and his commitment to “peace through strength.”

Israel

Rep. Stefanik made headlines after she questioned former Harvard President Claudine Gay about pro-Palestinian protests on Harvard’s campus in December 2023.

Stefanik pressed Gay for an answer on whether she would allow students to call for “genocide of the Jews” on campus, to which Gay responded that it depended on the context of those calls, leading to widespread criticism of Gay and Harvard University.

Stefanik has also expressed support for Israel’s decision to cut off aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA).

In a Nov. 4 press release, Stefanik said: “The United States must join Israel in its decision to ban Hamas-infiltrated UNRWA from operating in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. UNRWA staff were involved in the heinous terrorist attacks on October 7th. Their headquarters housed an underground Hamas data center, and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was carrying the passport of a UNRWA teacher when he was killed.

“The Biden-Harris administration has sent over $1 billion to UNRWA since 2021, filling the coffers of this terrorist front. This has to come to an end.”

Furthermore, her stance on Israel’s fight with Iran is clear from her .”

“For too long, our enemies have been emboldened by the weakness of the Biden-Harris administration.

“With President Trump, Peace through Strength has returned.”

Ukraine

Although Stefanik called Vladimir Putin a “war criminal and a mad criminal” in 2022, she voted against it when Ukraine’s funding was voted on in Congress in April 2024.

In a statement on Adirondack Daily EnterpriseStefanik said she supported “Ukraine’s right to defend itself with lethal assistance, including weapons, ammunition and training” for the duration of this invasion, adding: “However, I cannot donate billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars during Joe non-lethal assistance.” Biden continues to fail to address his crisis at our southern border.”

Although the funding bill eventually passed, several Senate Republicans also voted against it, including Vice President-elect JD Vance.

China

Similar to her position on Israel, Stefanik has also taken a stance on China regarding the country’s involvement on college campuses.

According to an article by Washington Free Beacon Stefanik wrote a press release on the topic about how a Harvard student was fired by another student for interrupting a lecture by the Chinese ambassador to the United States at the Kennedy School.

Stefanik said in the October press release: “We cannot allow American universities to serve as tools for Communist China to carry out its transnational oppression.”

“I look forward to working with Chairwoman Moolenaar and Chairwoman Foxx to hold Harvard accountable and end Communist China’s infiltration of American universities.”

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