This comes less than a week after winning reelection for another two-year term to represent the North Country in Congress, but if the Senate confirms her appointment, she plans on resigning from the seat. Stefanik has been a staunch supporter of Trump through the second half of her time in Congress. She says she’ll bring an “America First” approach to the United Nations, an international body she’s recently called “antisemitic” for its criticism of Israel, and called for a “complete reassessment” of U.S. funding of the organization.

Stefanik’s appointment still needs to be confirmed by the Senate. Trump is seeking to bypass the Senate confirmation for some positions through a process for recess appointments. Stefanik’s first day on the job would be Inauguration Day — Jan. 20, 2025.

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What does the U.N. ambassador do?

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, in New York. (AP photo — Evan Vucci)

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As ambassador, Stefanik would be the U.S.’s representative to the U.N. Security Council. She would advocate for the U.S. government’s interests to the international body, and implement U.N. policy in the U.S.

The UNSC has a stated goal of world peace. It was created after World War II in an attempt to improve on the League of Nations — a similar group which formed in the wake of World War I and ended after WWII.

Stefanik would also be a member of Trump’s presidential Cabinet, comprised of advisors who inform his decisions on their areas of expertise.

The UNSC is in charge of issuing sanctions on countries, authorizing peacekeeping military forces and authorizing military actions.

On the 15-member U.N. Security Council, Stefanik would be one of five permanent members — which are the U.S., UK, China, France and Russia. These permanent members have a veto power on any resolution before the council. They hold a lot of power over what the U.N. General Assembly considers as the only U.N. body which can create resolutions that are binding for member states. They can also veto leader nomination or new member states. The UNSC will pick a new head secretary-general in 2026.

The U.N. has 193 nation members, most of which rotate turns on the UNSC as non-permanent members with less power.

In coverage of Stefanik’s nomination, outlets have said she has minimal foreign policy experience. Former U.S. ambassador to the U.S. John Bolton said she has “no foreign policy experience” but later said she’ll “do a fine job.”

Before she ran for Congress, she had jobs at the Foreign Policy Initiative and Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tanks.

Stefanik Senior Advisor Alex DeGrasse listed some of her experience in the foreign policy field.

For years, Stefanik has been member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

In her second term, she was appointed to chair the House Armed Services Committee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. DeGrasse said this committee “oversaw counterterrorism, special operations forces, cyber, intelligence, DARPA and many more foreign policy and national security issues.”

She’s also been a ranking member for the committee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems; and a member of the subcommittees on Strategic Forces, Intelligence and Special Operations, Military Readiness and Military Personnel.

“She led and co-led numerous congressional delegations to over 20 countries many of which included meetings with foreign heads of state,” DeGrasse wrote, “and most recently was the highest ranking Member of the House of Representatives to visit Israel following the October 7th attacks, where she delivered a historic speech at the Knesset.”

Though in Congress, she has not written much foreign policy, she has been vocal about it — often issuing statements on U.S. relations with China, Russia, Iran, Israel and other nations.

She has been highly critical of China, Iran and Russia. She has pledged “unconditional support” for Israel, defending it from allegations from the International Criminal Court of war crimes alleged one decade ago, and more recent allegations of human rights abuses in Gaza.

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What might Stefanik do as U.N. ambassador?

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Stefanik said her approach as U.N. ambassador would be “America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage.” Her statements have implied a focus on American interests in the international body, and that she would bring an enforcement role to the position.

She did not reply to a question asking her to elaborate on what an “America First peace through strength” approach means by deadline on Tuesday.

“America continues to be the beacon of the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek,” she said in a statement.

Stefanik has been critical of the U.N., especially in the past year as the organization has criticized Israel for its major ground and air attack of Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, when more than 1,200 people were killed and around 250 people were taken hostage, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s attacks have killed more than 43,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials. This week, the UN Human Rights Office reported that around 70% of the dead are women and children.

When Trump was president last, he pulled out of the U.N.’s Human Rights Council, UNESCO cultural agency and the Iran nuclear deal, which stemmed from a U.N. resolution. He also had started to pull out of the U.N.’s World Health Organization.

Stefanik did not respond to a question asking if the U.S. can be expected to pull out of these again.

Both Trump and Stefanik have proposed reducing or reassessing American funding of the U.N.

When Trump was president last, he said the U.S. was contributing an unfair amount. The U.S. is largest financial contributor to U.N. — 22% of core budget and 27% of peacekeeping budget. His attempts to reduce the funding were stopped by Congress at the time.

Stefanik recently called for a “complete reassessment of U.S. funding of the United Nations” after the Palestinian Authority attempted to expel Israel from the U.N. because of human rights abuses in Gaza. She did not respond to a question asking what this reassessment would look like.

She also did not respond to a question asking how she will address the antisemitism she sees in the U.N., and if her contention with the organization would be a hindrance or help in her position.

Her presence in the UNSC, though maybe more hardline than current ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, will likely have similarities to the current state of things regarding Israel’s war in Gaza. Several attempts by the U.N. to sanction Israel have been vetoed by the U.S.

Stefanik said she has an “immense” amount of work ahead. She said there is “skyrocketing antisemitism” in the world and criticized current President Joe Biden’s administration as “four years of catastrophically weak U.S. leadership that significantly weakened our national security and diminished our standing in the eyes of both allies and adversaries.”

Stefanik did not respond to questions about what she would do in the ambassador role about the Russian war in Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza.

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Reaction

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Stefanik said she is honored by the nomination.

“During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate,” she said in a statement, adding that she believes Trump’s recent victory “has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad.

“I will forever be grateful to my beloved constituents in New York’s 21st Congressional District for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to work my very hardest to serve and give them a voice at the highest levels of Congress,” Stefanik added. “Ten years ago, Upstate and North Country voters took a chance on a young, first-time, unknown candidate who very few believed could win. I was proud to be the youngest woman elected to Congress at the time and to earn their overwhelming vote of confidence in six general elections. … No matter where this journey takes us, Upstate New York — the cradle of the American Revolution — will always be my heart and home.”

Trump called Stefanik “a strong and very smart America First fighter.”

“She will be an incredible Ambassador to the United Nations, delivering Peace through Strength and America First National Security policies!” he said in a statement.