Trump Withdraws Stefanik as Ambassador 03/28 06:24

   

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he was 
pulling Rep. Elise Stefanik's nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United 
Nations, a stunning turnaround for his Cabinet pick after her confirmation had 
been stalled for months over concerns about Republicans' tight margins in the 
House.

   Trump confirmed he was withdrawing the New York Republican's nomination in a 
Truth Social post, saying that it was "essential that we maintain EVERY 
Republican Seat in Congress."

   "We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a 
vital part of our efforts from the very beginning. I have asked Elise, as one 
of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress," the president said. He did not 
say whom he would nominate to replace her and fill his last remaining Cabinet 
seat.

   The abrupt withdrawal reflects growing concern among House Republicans, led 
by Speaker Mike Johnson, that their historically slim majority could be at 
risk, particularly ahead of two special elections in Florida next week. The 
loss of a mere handful of seats could swing the House majority to Democrats and 
derail their efforts to enact Trump's sweeping agenda in the months ahead.

   Johnson praised Stefanik, the former No. 4 House leader, as "selfless" and 
"patriotic" after Trump announced the move.

   "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," Johnson said in a post on X. He 
added that he "will invite her to return to the leadership table immediately," 
although it's unclear what position she would take since there are no vacancies.

   Stefanik said Thursday night that multiple issues factored into the 
decision, including the possibility that an election to replace her may be 
delayed; the upcoming special elections in Florida; and the threadbare GOP 
majority in the House.

   "I have been proud to be a team player," Stefanik said on Fox News' 
"Hannity" of the withdrawal of her nomination. "The president knows that. And 
he and I have had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to 
delivering results on behalf of the American people."

   Trump had tapped Stefanik to represent the U.S. at the international body 
shortly after winning reelection in November. She was seen as among the least 
controversial Cabinet picks, and her nomination advanced out of committee in 
late January, but House Republicans' razor-thin majority kept her ultimate 
confirmation in a state of purgatory for the last several months.

   In recent weeks, it had seemed as if Stefanik's nomination would advance to 
the Senate floor, given two U.S. House special elections in Florida in 
districts that Trump easily won in 2024. Filling those vacant GOP seats would 
have allowed Stefanik to finally resign from the House and given Republicans, 
who currently hold 218 seats, a little more breathing room on passing 
legislation in a growingly divided Congress. Democrats hold 213 seats.

   Both districts have long been Republican strongholds, and a win by either 
Democratic candidate would be a major surprise, but House Minority Leader 
Hakeem Jeffries and other Democratic leaders are looking to at least narrow the 
margin from November, when Trump carried both districts in the presidential 
election by more than 30 points.

   That, coupled with Democrats' upset in a Tuesday special election for a 
Pennsylvania state Senate seat in Republican-leaning suburbs and farming 
communities, has given Republicans pause and pushed some members into full 
panic mode, according to one congressional aide, who spoke on the condition of 
anonymity to discuss internal concerns.

   Trump's statement Thursday also seemed to indicate an anxiety about the 
party's ability to hold on to Stefanik's seat if she were to take on the U.N. 
post, even though the sprawling district in northern New York is one of the 
state's most conservative and is considered to be solid Republican territory. 
Stefanik herself cruised to reelection last year, winning 62% of the vote over 
her Democratic opponent. Almost all of the counties in her district voted for 
Trump last year.

   In a statement, Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that Trump withdrew Stefanik's 
nomination "because the extremists are afraid they will lose the special 
election to replace her."

   "The Republican agenda is extremely unpopular, they are crashing the economy 
in real time and House Republicans are running scared," Jeffries continued. 
"What happened to their so-called mandate?"

   Stefanik is the fourth Trump administration nominee who didn't make it 
through the confirmation process. Previously, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz 
withdrew from consideration for attorney general, Chad Chronister was pulled 
for the Drug Enforcement Administration and former Florida congressman Dr. 
David Weldon was yanked from contention to lead the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.

   The former congresswoman had been in a state of limbo for months, not able 
to engage in her official duties as a member of the 119th Congress or to 
participate in the action at the U.N. The vacancy of a permanent U.S. 
ambassador was happening at a critical moment for the international body as the 
world leaders had been discussing the two major wars between Russia and Ukraine 
and Israel and Hamas.

   In late February, the U.S. mission, under Trump, split with its European 
allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on 
three U.N. resolutions seeking an end to the three-year war. Dorothy Shea, the 
deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has been the face of America's mission in 
New York during the transition.

   The withdrawal of Stefanik's nomination came after she had launched a recent 
farewell tour of her district, meeting with supporters and thanking them for 
their support. On her Instagram page, Stefanik had also been conducting what 
appeared to be a retrospective of her time in Congress, with one post 
containing images from 2016 that showed her on a cable news show and posing 
with supporters atop a caption that began with "Congressional throwback 
continued."

   Reflecting the abruptness of Trump's decision, Stefanik's last throwback 
post was made Thursday morning.