Rep. Elise Stefanik, the New York Republican whom President Trump has chosen to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, pledged Tuesday to combat anti-Semitism, confront Chinese influence and, if necessary, leverage American contributions to force change.

“I share President Trump’s vision for a United Nations that must be reformed, America first, and peace through strength,” Rep. Elise Stefanik, D-N.Y., the president’s new pick to be his U.N. ambassador, told senators during her confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “Our tax dollars should not be complicit in supporting entities that are anti-American, anti-Semitic, or engaged in fraud, corruption, or terrorism.”

Republicans welcomed the selection of Stefanik, who began her career in Congress as a moderate but evolved into one of Mr. Trump’s strongest supporters in the House during his first term, which appealed to President Trump’s temperament.

She is also expected to gain the support of a number of Democrats, many of whom disagree with her views but have praised her for engaging with them.

Stefanik criticized UNRWA, the International Criminal Court and Iran in her Senate confirmation hearing while emphasizing the views of right-wing Israeli ministers that Israel has a “biblical right to the entire West Bank.”

Stefanik, who was confirmed as U.N. ambassador Tuesday, told her confirmation hearing that she would prioritize combating the "anti-Semitic rot" within the U.N. while reiterating her opposition to funding the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

“Combating anti-Semitism is something I am deeply committed to in this role, and it’s one of the reasons I was interested in this position during my conversations with President Trump,” Stefanik said during the hearing.

Stefanik has praised her role as a leader in "fighting the anti-Semitic scum" while in Congress, specifically her role in the college presidents hearing, as one of her qualifications to be a UN ambassador.

“The United States is by far the largest contributor to the United Nations,” she said in her opening statement. “Our tax dollars should not be complicit in supporting entities that are anti-American, anti-Semitic, or engage in fraud, corruption, or terrorism.”

“As the world faces crisis after crisis, with hostages including Americans still held captive by Hamas, to national security challenges ranging from China and Russia to North Korea and Iran, it has never been more important for the United States to lead with strength and moral clarity,” she continued.

“If you look at the anti-Semitic rot within the UN, there are more resolutions targeting Israel than any other country and other crises combined,” she added during questioning, singling out UN Women in particular as a problematic entity.

The right-wing, pro-Israel lawmaker claimed that UN Women had failed to condemn the terror attack by Hamas and its regime against innocent civilian women, using rape, specifically targeting women and holding them hostage. She added that she was “very happy that these three young women were taken home, and we need to commit to ensuring that every hostage is returned home,” allegations that have been proven false.

Regarding UNRWA, she noted that it is “a program that does not fulfill the mandate of the United Nations. We need to roll up our sleeves, implement reforms and make sure that our money goes to programs within the United Nations that work and have a basis in the rule of law, transparency, accountability and strengthening our national security.”

“We should never tolerate any American taxpayer money going to terrorism,” she said. “I was one of the members who voted to defund UNRWA,” she said. “We can look at organizations within the UN that have proven themselves, like UNHCR, the World Food Programme — which still need reform and modernization — but do not have the terrorist connections that UNRWA had and that were exposed on October 7, 2023.”

Stefanik noted that 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the “shameful ‘Zionism is racism’ resolution at the United Nations.” “Our U.S. ambassador at the time, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, spoke out forcefully against that shameful resolution,” she said. “That’s the kind of leadership I hope to bring.”

Stefanik declined to endorse a two-state solution or Palestinian rights to self-determination, saying instead: “I think they deserve much more than the failures they have suffered from the terrorist leadership.”

She then confirmed the views of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir that Israel has a biblical right to the entire West Bank.

Stefanik also sparred with Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy over Elon Musk's alleged fascist salute at a Trump rally, and has vigorously defended the billionaire against allegations of anti-Semitism.

“What concerns me is that these are the questions that you think are the most important to ask the UN ambassador,” Stefanik continued. “He has a very strong record when it comes to combating anti-Semitism. We just had a historic election where President Trump received historic support from American voters because of his strong leadership in combating anti-Semitism, which has been a blight across the country since October 7.”

“I intend to bring moral clarity to this position and continue to be a voice and a beacon of light condemning anti-Semitism at the United Nations, which is President Trump’s record and his campaign promises,” she added. She also denounced the UN entity responsible for overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, saying: “We need to ensure that UNIFIL is a peacekeeping mission that we need to evaluate. It has failed in its mission, and we need a strategy to move forward.”

On Iran, she called it “the most significant threat to world peace, especially in the region,” saying that reimposing sanctions “would be an important tool to consider in [Trump’s] toolbox as he pressures Iran.” On the ICC, Stefanik added, “I have a significant record of resistance to the ICC and its shameful anti-Semitism.”