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President-elect Trump has chosen Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations.
Why it matters: The fourth-ranking House Republican has been a staunch supporter of Trump, fiercely defending him during his 2019 impeachment hearings and more recent legal woes.
- Once an occasional Trump critic, her shift from moderate to MAGA came with fundraising clout.
- She’s been on the shortlist for team Trump 2.0 for months, as she was widely considered to be a potential vice presidential pick for the soon-to-be president.
Driving the news: “I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump said in a statement. “Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.”
- Trump announced Saturday that Nikki Haley, his former UN ambassador ambassador who resigned from the post in 2018, would not be returning to his second administration.
Axios has reached out to Stefanik’s office for comment.
Zoom in: Stefanik is fiercely pro-Israel, a conviction she made clear during her viral questioning of university officials over reports of antisemitism on college campuses.
- Her passionate inquiries stirred bipartisan backlash directed toward the university presidents.
Go deeper: GOP investigations could launch Stefanik in 2024