With Stefanik Out, Grenell, Ortagus Touted for UN

Less than two hours after President Donald Trump abruptly (and unexpectedly) withdrew the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, speculation began over whom he would name to be the voice of the U.S. in the world community.

Immediate speculation in Washington was focused on Morgan Ortagus, formerly spokesperson for the U.S. State Department and recently tapped by Trump as deputy to U.S. Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Ortagus, 42, is considered telegenic after years as a national security commentator on Fox News. When the U.N. ambassadorship became vacant in Trump's first term, she was known to very much want the post but was passed over.

Ric Grenell, 58, is now Trump's special envoy for special missions as well as interim executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He served as U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence in Trump's first term. He also served as spokesman under four different U.N. ambassadors during George W. Bush's presidency and was considered as a possible secretary of state by Trump following his election last year.

Also reportedly on the short list for the U.N. slot is David Friedman, former ambassador to Israel and a close friend of Trump's. Friedman, 66, was described as "one of America's most influential envoys" by The New York Times.

Working against his nomination, sources say, is his age. However, others watching the developments over the ambassadorship told Newsmax that Friedman could serve a brief time in the job and then — presuming Republicans retain control of the House in 2026 — resign to make way for Trump to again nominate Stefanik for the job.

The idea of a prospective U.N. ambassador taking his or her name out of consideration and then finally getting the appointment is not new. In the early 1970s, Daniel Patrick Moynihan twice declined President Richard Nixon's offer of the U.N. slot for personal reasons and finally accepted it in 1975.

The most intriguing subject of speculation for the United Nations slot is Ellie Cohanim, who served as deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism in the first Trump term. Born to a Jewish family in Iran, Cohanim, 52, and her family fled to the U.S. in 1979 at the start of the revolution that brought the ruling theocracy to power.

She has been an outspoke critic of the Iranian regime and what she calls its "obsessive antisemitism." She has also railed against conspiracy theories by Tehran suggesting Jews were behind the spread of COVID-19 as "modern-day blood libel."

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.