Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is seen as more ideologically fervent in her support for Israel than Trump’s former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley.

“I am honored to nominate Committee Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my administration as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump said in a statement. “Elise is a strong and extremely smart fighter for America First.”

New York Congresswoman Stefanik, the fourth-ranking Republican in the House, was a staunch ally of the president-elect and a major fundraiser for the GOP.

Stefanik has played a pivotal role in launching what experts say is a “crusade” to stoke anti-Semitism over the past year, and has lavished millions of dollars on Stefanik’s campaigns with awards that have allowed her to infiltrate Trump’s political machine.

There are no obvious substantive differences between Stefanik and Haley; Stefanik has strongly denounced the Biden-Harris administration for not adequately arming Israel, has alleged that Biden has kowtowed to China—and has condemned his withdrawal from Afghanistan on principle. Nor are there any obvious policy differences between Stefanik and Liz Cheney, her predecessor as House Republican Conference chair.

According to experts, the only notable difference is that Stefanik has spent the past several years trying to get close to Trump in every way possible — politically, legislatively, in donor circles, and internationally (she went to Israel to brag about how close she is to Trump as a partner).

It is an approach that has clearly borne fruit, even if the substantive political dimension is largely irrelevant.

President-elect Trump said on Saturday that he would not invite Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, or Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state, to join his next administration.

Trump's announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social, was an early sign of the president-elect's decision-making process as he navigates ideological differences within the Republican Party.

Stefanik’s selection signals a more aggressive US stance toward the UN. Stefanik has been a frequent critic of the international body, particularly over its criticism of Israel, and said last month that the Biden administration should consider a “complete reassessment” of US funding for the UN if the Palestinian Authority continues to seek to have Israel revoked from the UN.

Stefanik, the House Republican Conference chair, has for years been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress. Her aggressive performance during his 2019 impeachment hearings made her a “Republican star,” as Trump himself called it at the time. She again rose to Trump’s side after his 2020 defeat, when she objected to the House certifying President Joe Biden’s victory and promoted Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Stefanik said she was "honored" to accept Trump's nomination and looked forward to "gaining the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate," which must vote on her nomination to make it official.

“America remains a beacon to the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek,” Stefanik added in a statement provided to the right-wing New York Post.

The New York congresswoman does not have extensive experience in foreign policy or national security. She has served on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Since the October 7, 2023 attack, Stefanik has become one of the most outspoken supporters of Israel in Congress, gaining national attention as she led congressional hearings into college presidents’ handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.