Jan. 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump’s pick for U.N. ambassador shared insight into his direction for foreign relations in a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday.
In her opening remarks, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she seeks to advance Trump’s “America first” policies.
“If confirmed, I will work to ensure that our mission to the United Nations serves the interests of the American people and represents President Trump’s America First peace through strength foreign policy,” Stefanik said. “As the world faces crisis after crisis, with hostages including Americans still held in Hamas’ captivity, to national security challenges ranging from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, it has never been more critical for the United States to lead with strength and moral clarity.”
Stefanik noted that the United States is the largest contributor to the United Nations financially. Trump has been critical of the United States’ financial contributions to international organizations.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., pressed Stefanik on her position on the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, asking in a few different ways if she supports their right to self determination. Stefanik did not answer, instead saying they deserve better than Hamas.
When asked if she believes Israel as a “biblical right” to the West Bank, Stefanik said “Yes.”
Van Hollen said Stefanik’s position will make it difficult to establish peace and stability in the Middle East.
“It’s going to be very difficult to achieve that if you continue to hold the view that you just expressed, which is a view that was not held by the founders of the state of Israel who were secular Zionists, not religious Zionists,” Van Hollen said.
Stefanik, who has been outspoken against anti-Semitism, especially since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, was asked by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to comment on Tesla CEO Elon Musk making a Nazi salute twice during a Trump rally at Capital One Arena on Monday. He described Musk as Trump’s most visible adviser.
“No, Elon Musk did not do those salutes,” Stefanik said. “Elon Musk is a visionary. I’m looking forward to his work in — the Department of Government Efficiency. But that is simply not the case. The American people are smart. They see through it. They support Elon Musk.”
Murphy added that a large number of right-wing commentators and White nationalist groups, including the Proud Boys Ohio chapter and White Lives Matter, have acknowledged the salute as a Nazi salute or “Heil Hitler” salute.
“Does it concern you that those elements of the neo-Nazi and White supremacist element in the United States believe that what they saw last night was a neo-Nazi salute?” Murphy asked.
“What concerns me is these are the questions you believe are most important to ask to the U.N. ambassador,” Stefanik said before repeating that Trump had historic support in the election.
Murphy said he does not believe if a member of “the squad” made the same gesture that Stefanik would react in the same way. The squad is a name adopted by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. They were freshmen lawmakers when they adopted the name in 2019.
In the first hours of the new Trump administration, border security and immigration policy have been at the forefront. The newly sworn-in president signed executive orders related to both on inauguration day.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., challenged Stefanik on rhetoric she and Trump have espoused over the past year about the policies of Democrats on border security. When prompted by Kaine, Stefanik reiterated that she believes there are Democratic senators who support “open borders.”
“I do stand up for my rhetoric standing for strong borders,” Stefanik said. “The American people overwhelmingly support that.”
Kaine noted that Trump has shot down multiple bipartisan deals that Democrats agreed to that would have allocated as much as $46 billion to border security, including a bill last year Trump influenced Republicans to vote down while he was campaigning.
“The notion that Democratic senators are for open borders and allowing illegal aliens to vote is a fantasy. Now I have questions if you are going to fall for a fantasy.”
Kaine noted that in private conversations, Stefanik expressed that she holds different positions than Trump on some issues, which he appreciated.
Stefanik, 40, is a longtime loyalist to Trump, championing many of his priorities even when he was out of office. If confirmed, she will be the youngest U.S. ambassador to the U.N. ever.
Speaking on international organizations, Stefanik said she supports Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization, saying it failed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“WHO failed on a global stage in the COVID pandemic for all the world to see,” she said. “Instead, spewed [Chinese Communist Party] talking points that I believe led to not only false information but dangerous and deadly information across the globe. We can not tolerate entities that are taken over by CCP propaganda.”
Stefanik also called for the United States to permanently stop all U.S. funding towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Trump stopped funding during his first term and President Joe Biden reversed course. Stefanik supported a bill in Congress to again stop funding UNRWA.
Stefanik said the United States can support other organizations in the U.N. that are “proven.”
The hearing began on Capitol Hill at 10 a.m. EST. The committee is chaired by Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho.
As a member of the U.S. House, Stefanik serves on the House Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Education and Workforce. She has served in Congress since 2015.
Trump’s former primary rival Nikki Haley served as his ambassador to the U.N. during his first term through the end of 2018.
The first of Trump’s Cabinet nominees, Sen. Marco Rubio, was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on Monday. Sen. Risch praised Rubio on the Senate Floor before the final vote.
“Marco’s qualification and ability to stand in the shoes of Thomas Jefferson, our first secretary of State and the 70 who followed him, are unchallengeable,” Risch said.
Not all of Trump’s nominees have been so warmly received. Democrats have sounded the alarm about Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense, over a history of alcohol abuse and misogynistic public comments, and allegations of sexual abuse.
Trump’s second choice for attorney general Pam Bondi has also sparked criticism from Democrats as she continues to avoid acknowledging that Trump lost the 2020 election. Democrats also question her ability to oppose Trump if asked to do something illegal or unconstitutional.
During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Bondi and Republican senators said they did not believe Trump would pardon violent offenders from the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. During Trump’s first hours in office, Trump did just that, issuing full pardons for more than 1,500 people, including those convicted of violent crimes and using weapons against Capitol police, in an executive order.
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