President Donald Trump has withdrawn Representative Elise Stefanik’s nomination for the position of ambassador to the United Nations. New York’s Stefanik, who was nominated for the role in November, was the Trump administration’s final cabinet-level official yet to be confirmed by the Senate. 

In his announcement, the president cited the slight Republican majority in the House of Representatives as the reason for the pulling of Stefanik’s nomination. Stefanik’s confirmation would have led to another vacancy and special election, further diminishing at least temporarily Republican ranks in the lower chamber, where the GOP currently holds a narrow 218–213 majority.

Stefanik is also seen as one of the more hawkish members of the Trump cabinet, favoring “maximum pressure” on Iran and further military aid to Israel. She has historically been a Trump ally, defending him during his 2020 impeachment trial.