President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was asking representative Elise Stefanik to withdraw her to become the United Nations Ambassador.
“With a very tight majority, I do not want to try to take a chance on someone else who presents himself for the headquarters of Elise,” added the president, referring to a narrow margin of five seats of the republicans of the room in the room.
Stefanik gave up his position in the leadership of the Chamber after being appointed by Trump for the role of the United Nations. She was replaced as president of the House Republican Conference by the representative of Michigan, Lisa McClain.
Chamber Mike Johnson said Thursday that he would “invite” Stefanik “to return immediately to the leadership table” and thank her for her “altruistic decision” to accept to withdraw her appointment.
But a familiar source told ABC News that McClain does not plan to resign from his role. We do not know what role, if necessary, Stefanik will hold in the republican direction of the Chamber, because the main roles are currently filled. Leadership could create a new position for it, but nothing has been officially decided.
The representative Elise Stefanik arrives for the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the American Capitol in Washington, on January 20, 2025.
Julia Demaoree Nikhinson / Pool via Reuters
Stefanik, a New York Republican, has started her career at Congress as a moderate, but in recent years has become one of Trump’s most loyal supporters.
She played a key role in Congress’s response to anti-Semitism on university campuses in the midst of the War of Israel-Hamas. She also accused the United Nations of anti -Semitism.
When Trump appointed him last November, just a few days after the elections, he said that she would be a “first fighter in America” for his foreign policy program.
The American ambassador designates the United Nations Elise Stefanik at a meeting of the cabinet at the White House, on February 26, 2025 in Washington.
Andrew Harnik / Getty images
Trump’s announcement Thursday when Democrats and Republicans were preparing for the potential special elections to replace it, although a date has not been set.
“People love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to fear for election day,” wrote Trump on his social media platform. “There are others who can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay at the Congress, will join the leadership team of the Chamber and will continue to fight for our incredible American people.”
The Republicans of the Chamber are currently holding a narrow majority in the Chamber with 218 Republicans at 213 Democrats. Johnson has a majority cushion for his majority.
The president seemed to leave the door open to Stefanik joining his administration at another time.
“I look forward to the day Elise is able to join my administration in the future,” he wrote. “She is absolutely fantastic.”
Trump did not say who he planned to appoint then to serve as UN ambassador. The position requires confirmation of the Senate.
Stefanik has not yet published a declaration.
The news came while Democrats and Republicans were preparing for potential special elections to replace it. A date for the special elections of the 21st district of New York, who would have chosen who would have replaced the representative Elise Stefanik if she had resigned from the Congress, had not been established.
The chairs of the Democratic county had already chosen Blake Gendebien, a dairy producer, as a candidate, according to Affilié ABC Wten. The Republicans had not yet selected a candidate.
Orenre Oppenheim, ABC News, Benjamin Siegel and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
It is a story in development. Please check the updates.
