WATCH: Stefanik says UN reforms should include more of Global South | Trump confirmation hearings

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to the U.N., said Tuesday that while she’s focused on reforming the UN security council with U.S. funding, she also believes the body should reach out more to countries in the Global South.

In her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, she pointed to China having “made significant inroads” in infrastructure. She added that including the Global South should not be an effort only made by the UN, but should also include newly-confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the office of the United States Trade Representative and USAID.

Stefanik, a loyal ally to Trump, is chair of the House Republican Conference, and was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won her seat in 2014. While she has little foreign policy experience, Stefanik has been vocal about Israel and its war with Hamas. She has called for a “complete reassessment” of the U.S.’s funding for the U.N.

Newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel