U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)
The announcement comes after news broke on Thursday morning that Waltz was no longer serving as the administration's national security advisor.
A handful of names had been floated for the role after Stefanik withdrew her nomination in March, including former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former deputy special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism at the State Department under the first Trump administration, Ellie Cohanim and special presidential envoy Richard Grenell. Grenell said he was a "hard no" on serving in the U.N. ambassador role ahead of Trump's announcement.
Trump announced Stefanik as his original choice for the role back in November 2024, just days after his successful election against former Vice President Kamala Harris. The New York congresswoman, however, pulled her nomination last month as concerns mounted in Trump's orbit that the GOP's slim majority in the House would grow smaller in her absence.
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Concerns grew ahead of two special House elections in Florida on April 2, which ultimately saw both Republican victorious, but with significantly slimmer margins than their GOP predecessors in their previous elections.
Stefank told Fox News' Sean Hannity in March that she bowed out of the confirmation process to serve as U.N. ambassador due to both the GOP's margin in the House, combined with the need for her to help combat Democratic "corruption" in her home state of New York.
Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, addresses the 74th United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly, at the United Nations Headquarters, September 24, 2019. (nthony Behar/Sipa USA (Sipa via AP Images)
Trump announced on Truth Social that Stefanik withdrew her nomination to "remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength."
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"With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations," he added.
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP)
"I've always felt that the U.N. has tremendous potential," Trump said in February while signing the executive order that made cuts to U.S. involvement with U.N. groups. "It's not being well-run."
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"A lot of these conflicts that we're working on should be settled, or at least we should have some help in settling them. But we never seem to get help. That should be the primary purpose of the U.N.," Trump continued.
Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-announces-mike-waltz-un-ambassador-pick