WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik is being considered for “multiple” roles in House Republican leadership — including a senior advisory position, sources told The Post, after her nomination for US ambassador to the UN was abruptly pulled last week.
President Trump tapped Stefanik (R-NY), 40, for the UN post in November but asked her to remain in Congress with House Republicans facing tough votes on their tax, defense, energy and border priorities in the coming weeks.
“This is about stepping up as a team,” Stefanik told Fox News at the time. “I am doing that as a leader to ensure that we can take hold of this mandate and deliver these historic results.”
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), who replaced Stefanik as House GOP conference chair after her nomination, told Semafor that one “option” being discussed is for the New York Republican to serve as chair of the Elected Leadership Committee, which advises GOP leaders in the House and is appointed by the speaker.
That position used to be filled by former Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) took up the post himself after winning the gavel in October 2023.
“They are discussing multiple options,” a source familiar with the talks said, while adding that the ultimate decision rests with Johnson.
Another source noted that Stefanik’s return has been welcomed by GOP lawmakers who saw her as a highly “talented” member of the leadership team and are eager to have Johnson install her in a top role as they prepare to pass Trump’s “big, beautiful” agenda before Memorial Day.
“It’s incumbent on the speaker to quickly iron out this because the president has been very clear about this,” a GOP operative added.
House Republicans hold a 220-213 majority over Democrats, following special elections in Florida this week that brought new GOP Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis into the fold.
Despite the added breathing room, Republicans can only lose three votes from their own conference before a vote fails to pass by a simple majority, as Republicans are planning to do with their massive budget reconciliation package.
Trump, 78, made clear that Stefanik was “one of my biggest Allies” and promised that she would “rejoin the House Leadership Team” after announcing her departure.
“We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning,” he said of the congresswoman who was also on his shortlist for the vice presidency in 2024.
“With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” he added.
New York Democrats had been angling to delay the special election to replace Stefanik in the 21st Congressional District until as late as November before Gov. Kathy Hochul halted the plans, sources previously told The Post.
Johnson had said Stefanik would “return to the leadership table immediately,” without clarifying whether that will be as an adviser to leadership or another elevated position.
Whatever happens, Stefanik won’t be back as conference chair, since elections for those positions have already occurred and McClain is “still holding the role,” one source pointed out.
Stefanik was one of the most stalwart defenders of Trump on the House Intelligence Committee during hearings held by Democrats who eventually voted in favor of his first impeachment.
She went on to replace ex-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in the leadership role and drew national attention for her grilling of Ivy League university presidents who claimed that calls for the “genocide” of Jewish students on their campuses didn’t necessarily violate their schools’ codes of conduct.
Harvard University president Claudine Gay, who was later ousted over a plagiarism scandal involving her past scholarly work, stated that whether the comments were antisemitic depended on the “context.”
The president has since suggested special envoy Ric Grenell or ex-Ambassador to Israel David Friedman could fill the UN position, though the former has already ruled himself out of the job.
“We have a lot of people that have asked about it and would like to do it — David Friedman, Ric Grenell and maybe 30 other people,” he told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.
“Everyone loves that position. That’s a star-making position. And so we’ll see what happens.”
Grenell told Newsmax last week that he was a “hard no” on seeking the job.
The Post reached out to Johnson’s and Stefanik’s offices for comment.
