President Trump has asked Rep. Elise Stefanik to remain in the House of Representatives rather than proceed with her nomination as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The president cited the narrow Republican majority in the House as the primary reason for this decision, stating on social media that “it is essential” to maintain every Republican seat to help pass his agenda.
“With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” the president wrote. “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.”
The decision comes as House Republicans currently hold a slim advantage with 218 seats to Democrats’ 213, giving them only a two-vote cushion on strict party-line votes. The precarious majority has been a concern for Republican leadership, especially with four vacancies currently in the House.
CBS News first reported that Ms. Stefanik’s nomination was in jeopardy, with a New York GOP official telling The Washington Times that this issue had been “lurking in the background for months.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed his support for the decision, calling it “selfless” and demonstrating Ms. Stefanik’s commitment to advancing Mr. Trump’s agenda. Mr. Johnson said he would “immediately” invite Ms. Stefanik back to House GOP leadership. She previously served as chair of the Republican Conference, a position now held by Rep. Lisa McClain.
Ms. Stefanik’s nomination had already been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by voice vote in January, with bipartisan support despite opposition from some Democrats.
Mr. Trump suggested Ms. Stefanik could take on a future administration role, concluding his statement with: “I look forward to the day when Elise is able to join my Administration in the future. She is absolutely FANTASTIC. Thank you Elise!”
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
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