Elise Stefanik

Early Life and Education

Elise Stefanik was born on July 2, 1984, in Albany, New York, and grew up in the state’s North Country region. She graduated from Albany Academy for Girls and earned a degree in Government from Harvard University. Afterward, she worked in Washington, D.C., in the Bush administration’s Domestic Policy Council and the Chief of Staff’s office, gaining experience in national policy.

Early Career and Election to Congress

Prior to serving in Congress, Stefanik worked at her family’s small business. Stefanik was elected in 2014 to represent New York’s 21st Congressional District, becoming the youngest woman elected to Congress. Throughout her tenure, she has been a prominent figure within the Republican Party, particularly in New York, and was elected House Republican Conference Chair in 2021.

Legislative and Committee Work

Stefanik served on several committees, including the House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and Labor, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Her legislative work has focused on national security, economic policy, and government oversight, particularly issues affecting military readiness, broadband expansion, and rural healthcare.

Support for Israel and Combating Anti-Semitism

Stefanik has consistently supported Israel and advocated for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. She has also been active in addressing anti-Semitism, particularly on college campuses. Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Stefanik raised concerns about the rise in anti-Semitic incidents at universities, notably questioning the leadership of institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania regarding their handling of anti-Semitism and threats to Jewish students.

Stefanik has also supported the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism at U.S. universities, which she believes could improve the response to discriminatory incidents and promote a safer environment for Jewish students.

On November 4, 2024, Stefanik called to permanently cut off aid for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), the main supplier of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.

Nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

On November 11, 2024, the incoming Trump administration nominated Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. 

On January 21, 2025, during her Senate confirmation hearing as U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Stefanik emphasized that combatting anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias at the UN would be a core focus of her role. She criticized the UN’s disproportionate targeting of Israel through biased resolutions, describing it as reflective of “anti-Semitic rot.” Stefanik pledged to be a “voice of moral clarity” at the UN, modeling her approach after former Ambassador Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s defense of Israel during the “Zionism is racism” debate. She also reiterated her opposition to UNRWA, citing its ties to terrorism and Hamas, and advocated for dismantling the agency in favor of programs like UNHCR and the World Food Programme, which she argued have better accountability.

Stefanik described Iran as the most significant threat to global and regional peace. She linked Iran’s support for Hamas and Hezbollah to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and supported the reimposition of snapback sanctions under the nuclear deal before their expiration. Stefanik called the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran during its first term a success in curbing Iran’s nuclear program and weakening its economy. She expressed concern about U.S. allies potentially opposing snapbacks but stressed the need to convince them to take action against Iran.

In the broader Middle East, Stefanik highlighted the importance of the Abraham Accords, proposing an Abraham Accords Caucus at the UN to build international support for normalization agreements between Israel and its neighbors. She affirmed Israel’s “biblical right” to the entire West Bank and declined to endorse Palestinian statehood, instead blaming Hamas and Hezbollah for violating Palestinian human rights and misusing international aid. She argued that Israel remains a champion of human rights in the region.

Stefanik criticized UNIFIL for failing to prevent Hezbollah’s buildup in southern Lebanon and called for a reassessment of its mission. She also described post-Assad Syria as an opportunity following regime changes but warned against allowing Iran or Russia to fill power vacuums.

Stefanik’s broader criticism of the UN included accusations of anti-Semitism in its agencies, such as UN Women, for failing to condemn Hamas’s targeting of women. She also supported reviewing U.S. funding for UN programs on a case-by-case basis and using financial leverage to demand transparency and reforms. Stefanik defended previous U.S. withdrawals from UNESCO and the WHO, aligning with Trump’s broader approach to the UN.

She positioned herself as a staunch ally of Israel and the Jewish community, citing her leadership in exposing anti-Semitism on college campuses. Stefanik emphasized her commitment to protecting Israel’s national security and eradicating terrorist threats like Hamas and Hezbollah. She also rejected the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its alleged anti-Semitism.

In February 2025, Stefanik announced at the CPAC conference that the Trump administration prioritizes ending funding for UNRWA due to its crimes on October 7 and pledged to work toward its complete dismantling. She met with the families of hostages and promised to advocate for their release upon taking office. Additionally, she condemned the murder of Oded Lifshitz and the Bibas family in Hamas captivity, calling the group’s actions “an affront to all of humanity.”

A March 2025 report by the UNHRC’s Commission of Inquiry on Israel accused the country of committing “genocidal acts,” including systematic gender-based violence against Palestinians since October 7, 2023, allegedly perpetrated by the IDF and Israeli settlers. U.S. Ambassador-designate to the UN, Elise Stefanik, condemned the report as anti-Semitic and anti-Israel slander, criticizing its failure to address Hamas’ atrocities, including mass murder, torture, kidnapping, and sexual violence against Israeli civilians. She argued that the report reflects the UNHRC’s obsessive anti-Semitism and reaffirmed the justification for President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the council.

On March 27, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that Stefanik would remain in Congress rather than take the role of UN ambassador. He cited the GOP’s narrow House majority and the need to retain every seat as concerns about Republican vulnerabilities in special elections played a role in the decision. Trump suggested he might offer Stefanik a future role in his administration. In response, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, praised Stefanik as a strong ally of Israel and expressed confidence that she will continue supporting the country in any role she takes on.

Sources: “About Congresswoman Stefanik,” stefanik.house.gov.
“Stefanik Stands with Israel and Renews Call to Defund UNRWA,” stefanik.house.gov, (November 4, 2024). 
Emma Colton, “What Stefanik’s House tenure reveals about what type of UN ambassador she may be,” Fox News, (November 11, 2024).
Hannah Sarisohn, “Stefanik defends Israel record in UN ambassador confirmation hearing,” Jerusalem Post, (January 21, 2025).
Ben Samuels, “‘Antisemitic Rot’: Trump’s UN Pick Stefanik Backs Defunding UNRWA, Citing ‘Terrorist Ties’ to Hamas,” Haaretz, (January 21, 2025).
Karen DeYong, Missy Ryan, “Trump’s ambassador nominee questions U.S. funding of ‘antisemitic’ U.N.” Washington Post, (January 21, 2025).
Marc Rod, “Stefanik said she pursued U.N. ambassador role to help combat antisemitism,” Jewish Insider, (January 22, 2025).
““More than a human can bear”: Israel’s systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023,” United Nations, (March 13, 2025).
@EliseStefanik, (March 13, 2025).
Annie Karni, Maggie Haberman, “Trump Asks Stefanik to Withdraw Bid to Be U.N. Ambassador,” New York Times, (March 27, 2025).
@dannydanon, (March 27, 2025).

Photo: United States House of Representatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.