GOP Lawmakers Describe Feeling 'Blindsided' By Trump Direction To Withdraw Elise Stefanik's Nomination To UN Ambassador

The White House instructed Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) last week to withdraw her nomination to be the next United Nations ambassador as it looks to secure the GOP's slim majority in the House of Representatives. The abrupt decision left the Congresswoman and fellow Republicans "blindsided" as rumors of increased internal GOP tensions strengthen.

According to a report by Fox News, some Republican congressmen were informed of Stefanik's withdrawal by the White House roughly two hours before President Trump announced it on social media.

"Trump pulling Stefanik's nomination for ambassador to the U.N. blindsided seemingly everyone on Capitol Hill," one senior House GOP aide told the outlet. "As early as yesterday, representatives were praising her as the 'soon-to-be-ambassador.'"

Shortly after her withdrawal became public, Stefanik said the decision came around due to a variety of factors, including what she claims to be corruption for New York Governor Kathy Hochul— thought she didn't exactly explain what actions she was referring to—, the small House majority and the incoming special elections across the country.

"It was a combination of the New York corruption that we're seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections and the House margin," the Representative said on "Hannity" Friday. "I've been in the House. It's tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country."

"The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," she added.

But despite the withdrawal being framed as a mutual decision, the saga has still raised eyebrows, as Republican congressmembers have shown little knowledge of the situation. For instance, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he wasn't aware of the move when reporters first asked him. "It's probably something to do with political realities," he said.

The outlet added that Stefanik had been recently open about her plans when she eventually was confirmed by the Senate. The lawmaker, along with some of her staff, had already been making arrangements to move to New York City, where the U.N. is headquartered. She had also spent last week posting a farewell tribute to her time in Congress on social media, and the House leadership team was planning a goodbye party for her.

At the same time, Trump attended a White House event honoring Women's History Month last Wednesday, where he took six minutes out of his speech to personally recognize many of the Republican women gathered in the audience. However, he omitted mentioning Stefanik, who was still his nominee to be U.N. ambassador.

24 hours later, she was out of her nomination, with the president citing concerns over the prospect of a special election to fill her seat.

"She is phenomenal, number one. She is a friend of mine. ... But she's very popular in her district. And I didn't want to take a chance," Trump said Friday at the Oval Office. "We have a slim margin. We don't want to take any chances. We don't want to experiment."

GOP anxiety has made headlines recently, as two special elections in Florida are set to take place Tuesday to replace national security adviser Michael Waltz and disgraced former Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Likewise, Democrats have slightly gained ground in other local special elections this year. In January, the Democratic candidate for a State Senate seat in Iowa won by four points in a district Trump carried by 20 points. In March, a Pennsylvania Democrat won by two points in a special State Senate election in a district that Trump won by more than 10 points in 2024.