The White House’s decision to revoke Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination as US ambassador to the UN has greatly impacted President Donald Trump’s choice of Cabinet members.
Her confirmation had been postponed because of concerns about the narrow House margins for Republicans. Trump confirmed the ruling in a post on Truth Social, saying that they had to keep all of the Republican seats in Congress.
GOP scraps Stefanik’s UN nomination to preserve House majority
Stefanik was nominated shortly after Trump was reelected in November to represent the United States at the global organization.
Although her nomination advanced out of committee in late January, and she was regarded as one of the least controversial Cabinet choices, the House Republicans’ razor-thin majority kept her eventual confirmation in a state of purgatory for the past few months.
Stefanik’s nomination appeared to make it to the Senate floor recently, especially since Florida had two U.S. House special elections in districts that Trump won easily in 2024. However, concerns about maintaining the Republican majority ultimately led to the decision to withdraw her from consideration.
“We must be unified to accomplish our mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts. As one of my biggest allies, I have asked Elise to remain in Congress,” the president said. He, however, did not specify who he would propose to take her place.
On the other hand, Stefanik’s office did not immediately answer a request for comment.
Keeping Stefanik in the House would have provided Republicans, who control 218 seats, more flexibility in passing legislation in an increasingly divided Congress. The Democratic caucus holds 213 seats.
The GOP also took notice after Democrats won an unexpected victory in a Pennsylvania state Senate special election, flipping a seat in a Republican-leaning district.
Stefanik is the fourth Trump administration nominee who did not make it through the confirmation process.
Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz was withdrawn from consideration for the position of attorney general, Chad Chronister was removed from consideration for the position of Drug Enforcement Administration, and Dr David Weldon, a former congressman from Florida, was removed from consideration for the position of CDR.
Trump withdraws Chad Chronister’s DEA nomination amid conservative backlash
Trump’s selection for DEA chief, Chad Chronister, also faced confirmation troubles. A couple of months ago, Trump abruptly resigned the sheriff from a Senate confirmation position and removed his name from the list of candidates for the job.
Consequently, Chronister shared an X post stating that he had turned down the offer, calling it the honour of a lifetime.
Without going into further detail, Chronister wrote, “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I have concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration.”
Trump explained on his social media account, Truth Social, that Chronister resigned suddenly because he did not agree with what the sheriff had told his pastors and other supporters.
Some conservatives criticized Chronister for his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and for claiming that his office was not involved in federal immigration enforcement.
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