WASHINGTON (AN) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is withdrawing his nomination of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York, to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, out of concern about retaining Republicans' control of the House of Representatives.
Trump said on Thursday he wants Stefanik to stay in the House, where she was the third most powerful Republican before agreeing to become U.N. ambassador. With only 218 seats to Democrats’ 213, Republicans must keep virtually everyone in line to pass legislation along party lines – and Stefanik's seat in an upper New York district could become competitive.
“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,” he said.
The news comes on the heels of the Signal fiasco involving Trump's national security team, which raises Republican's concerns about a special election next week to fill national security adviser Mike Waltz’s former seat in Congress. Waltz included a journalist from The Atlantic in a Trump administration group chat on the Signal messaging app where they were discussing sensitive U.S. military plans for a bombing campaign in Yemen.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would ensure Stefanik has a leadership role again and thanked her for agreeing to remain in the House.
“It is well known Republicans have a razor-thin House majority, and Elise’s agreement to withdraw her nomination will allow us to keep one of the toughest, most resolute members of our Conference in place to help drive forward President Trump’s America First policies,” he said. “I will invite her to return to the leadership table immediately.”
Narrow divides along party lines became the norm in the House and Senate in recent decades, but Johnson faces the slimmest House majority since the 1930s, making it difficult for Trump to pass major legislation. Through executive orders, however, Trump can circumvent Congress.
The U.S. Senate had not yet confirmed Stefanik to the U.N. post, but she already held a farewell tour across her upstate New York congressional district, let go of staff members in expectations of gaining Senate approval, and began acting like a de factor member of Trump's Cabinet.
