President Trump's nominee: UN has not fulfilled its mission

2025-01-22 15:41:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Representative Elise Stefanik, President Donald Trump's nominee to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations, faced questions from senators at her Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. The top Republican in the House of Representatives told lawmakers that she would implement President Trump's "America First" agenda at the United Nations.

Representative Elise Stefanik, nominated by President Trump to be the United States ambassador to the UN, called for accountability on Tuesday.

"The UN has not fulfilled the mission for which it was founded, and we must seek to do a better job in this regard. I share President Trump's vision for a reformed UN based on an "America First" agenda, of peace through strength, and a return to this founding mission of promoting peace and security around the world," she said.

Ms. Stefanik was elected to Congress in 2014 at the age of 30 and rose to the rank of fourth-highest ranking female leader in the House of Representatives. Republican senators say Ms. Stefanik's determination and consistent leadership make her a suitable candidate to defend US interests at the UN.

"At the UN, a body that is meant to advance the values ??of peace, freedom and human dignity, many of us are not seeing a reflection of American values. We see rampant anti-Semitism against the only Jewish state in the world as it faces attacks from all directions. We are seeing oppression and the rise of aggressive autocrats to leadership positions," said Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

Ms. Stefanik told senators that her experience in Congress will inform her approach as ambassador.

"The United States is the largest financial contributor to the UN by far. Our taxpayer dollars should not be used to support entities that work against American interests, anti-Semitism, corruption, or terrorism. We should invest in programs that strengthen our national security, deliver results, and increase the effectiveness of UN programs," she said.

Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, agreed with her comments.

"I think it's reasonable to evaluate every UN agency to learn whether they are useful to America and to hold them accountable," he said.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq expressed opposition to these claims on Tuesday.

"The United States is obligated to pay $1.5 billion to the UN's regular budget. If the budget for peacekeepers and courts is included, the total amount it owes to these three entities amounts to $2.8 billion," he said.

An analyst told VOA that it may be difficult for the United States to change the 80-year-old organization.

“In some of the smaller institutions, we are the largest donor to the UN. So there is the possibility of conditioning some of the aid. But in the past, our influence to drive small changes in these institutions through conditioning aid has been limited,” said John Fortier of the American Enterprise Institute.

Democrats are concerned about former lawmaker Stefanik's past actions.

"You voted to cut off funding for the UN and its agencies. Of course, I agree that the UN is not a perfect body, but the UN also serves as an extension of American taxpayer money. The withdrawal of the United States from the UN is a desire of our enemies, especially Russia and China," said Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

If confirmed, Elise Stefanik would become the 32nd United States ambassador to the UN. /VOA