‘Team player’ Elise Stefanik responds after Trump yanks UN ambassador nomination

President Donald Trump has withdrawn Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to serve as ambassador to the United Nations.

In a Truth Social post published Thursday, he explained that she’s needed in Congress to protect the GOP’s tiny majority in the House.

“As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress,” he wrote. “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. 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. Speaker Johnson is thrilled! I look forward to the day when Elise is able to join my Administration in the future. She is absolutely FANTASTIC. Thank you Elise!” he added.

Speaking on Fox News’ “Hannity” later that evening, Stefanik said she was more than happy to be a “team player” and bow out of the nomination.

“I have been proud to be a team player,” she said. “The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I’m committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents.”

She added that it’s not just a matter of the GOP’s razor-thin majority being at risk. It’s also a matter of New York State’s nasty politics.

“The reality is…Democrats, as we see in New York State, it is totally corrupt,” Stefanik alleged. “Kathy Hochul started threatening to move the ball on the election date. You see a highly, highly politicized radical left trying to do everything they can to defeat the president.”

“And this is about stepping up as a team. And I am doing that as a leader to ensure that we can take hold of this mandate and deliver these historic results,” she continued.

Listen:

WATCH my interview with @kayleighmcenany on tonight’s @seanhannity pic.twitter.com/dFchfkDCxK

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) March 28, 2025

All this said, there are reportedly some issues that need to be ironed out before Stefanik can return to her congressional duties.

“[House Speaker Mike] Johnson says that Stefanik, previously the Republican conference chair, is invited ‘to return to the leadership table immediately’ … [b]ut Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain has been serving in Stefanik’s old leadership post since January and plans to stay,” according to Politico.

“In addition, the administration has placed staff that Stefanik recruited from her congressional office to serve in the State Department’s UN office,” the reporting continues.

Elise Stefanik is truly a great leader and a devoted patriot. Today’s selfless decision shows America what those of us who work with her already know. She is deeply devoted to her country and fully committed to see President Trump’s agenda succeed in Congress. It is well known…

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 27, 2025

Also, Stefanik had been closely preparing to begin her U.N. work.

“She has spent the past week on Instagram posting a nostalgic retrospective of her time in Congress as she prepared for her tenure there to end. And she participated in a farewell tour across her district,” according to The New York Times.

Some Republicans feel sorry for her.

“She must be so disappointed,” Sen. Susan Collins told NBC News. “She would have been easily confirmed in my view. I thought she was a great nominee.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune meanwhile attributed Stefanik’s withdrawal from the U.N. post to the “political realities that they’re grappling with in the House right now,” where “every vote counts.”

Regarding the GOP’s thin House majority, 218 to 213, it faces threats from two upcoming special elections, including the one in Florida’s 6th Congressional District for National Security Advisor’s Mike Waltz former seat.

“[T]here is concern in the party that the race in Florida’s 6th Congressional District … is more competitive than expected after the Democratic candidate posted a massive fundraising haul,” NBC News notes.

This is the same race that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Tuesday that he expects Republicans to underperform in because of the weakness of the candidate chosen, state Sen. Randy Fine.

Desantis expects Republican to underperform in special election, does not want Trump to be blamed https://t.co/zaoOvg9i5y via @BIZPACReview

— Writer, CR HIATT⭐⭐⭐ (@CR_HIATT) March 26, 2025

Senior Staff Writer
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

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