In a reversal from the Biden administration’s policy, the Trump administration&#8217;s Department of Justice has stripped the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) — which has been accused of working with Hamas during the October 7, 2023, massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel — of immunity from prosecution. That decision will enable the billion-dollar lawsuit filed by the October 7 victims&#8217; families to move forward.
In a  letter from the United States Attorney, Southern District of New York, to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres regarding the case Estate of Tamar Kedem Siman Tov et al. v. UNRWA, the text stated:
<blockquote>
The complaint in this case recounts atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. And its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (&#8220;UNRWA&#8221;) played a significant role in those heinous offenses. Previously, the Government expressed the view that certain immunities shielded UNRWA from having to answer those allegations in American courts. The Government has since reevaluated that position, and now concludes UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants.
</blockquote>
The lawsuit<a href="https://unwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/001-UNRWAComplaint.pdf"> states</a>:
<blockquote>The atrocities committed by Hamas in the October 7 Attack were not only acts of terror, genocide, and crimes against humanity, they were torts in violation of the law of nations. Because, as detailed below, the Defendants’ actions aiding and abetting those torts in violation of the law of nations, including but not limited to their funding of Hamas, occurred in significant part in the State of New York and in this federal judicial district, this Court has subject matter jurisdiction and venue over Plaintiffs’ claims against these Defendants. Many of the Plaintiffs separately have claims against Defendants for aiding and abetting Hamas’ violations of the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 (“TVPA”), which requires no such New York nexus.</blockquote>
“The US administration&#8217;s determination that UNRWA lacks diplomatic immunity could substantially facilitate Israel&#8217;s efforts to end the agency&#8217;s operations within Israeli territory,” Israel Hayom <a href="https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/04/25/trumps-doj-strips-unrwa-of-immunity/">pointed out</a>. “The lawsuit presents evidence alleging UNRWA orchestrated a $1 billion money laundering operation that funded Hamas, while simultaneously reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza residents and playing a critical role in the October 7 attack.”
Documents shared with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/08/world/middleeast/hamas-unrwa-schools.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> last December impelled the media outlet to admit that senior staff at UNRWA schools doubled as members of Hamas’ military wing.
As shown by the detailed records kept by the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, which were seized by Israel, at least 24 people employed by the anti-Israel UNRWA in their schools were members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad. “A majority were top administrators at the schools — principals or deputy principals — and the rest were school counselors and teachers, the documents say,” The Times reported. “Almost all of the Hamas-linked educators, according to the records, were fighters in the Qassam Brigades.”
“The Constitution does not grant immunity to foreign sovereigns or organizations. Instead, such immunity &#8216;is a matter of grace and comity on the part of the United States,’” the letter continued. “The interactions among two treaties, one statute, and one proposed convention govern whether UNRWA is entitled to such grace here. First, the International Organizations Immunities Act of 1945 (‘IOIA’) creates the ‘default rules’ for the immunity enjoyed by international organizations in the United States. Although apparently aimed at many of the same entities that now comprise the United Nations (‘UN’) system, id., the JOIA applies to any ‘public organization in which the United States participates pursuant to any treaty or under the authority of any Act of Congress &#8230; and which shall have been designated by the President through appropriate Executive order as being entitled to enjoy the privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided in this subchapter.’&#8221;
“In other words, Congress controls in the first instance whether the United States participates in such ‘public organizations’ and it empowered the President to decide whether to extend immunity to these organizations including ‘at any time to revoke the designation’ entitling the organizations to immunity,” the letter explains.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Trump DOJ has reversed the Biden admin&#39;s position and made it clear that UNRWA and its employees are not entitled to immunity for their atrocious terroristic conduct. 
File this under the category of &quot;things that should not have to be said but thank God someone said them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iRVSFZdV4v">pic.twitter.com/iRVSFZdV4v</a>
&mdash; Mark Goldfeder (@MarkGoldfeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkGoldfeder/status/1915591397521969386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;

UNRWA – Palestine – Photo Illustration

Trump DOJ Strips Hamas-Linked UN Agency Of Immunity For October 7 Massacre

Courts

Department of Justice

Hamas

Lawsuit

October 7

Trump Administration

United Nations

UNRWA

World

The White House is narrowing its search for its next nominee for ambassador to the United Nations after withdrawing Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s nomination to keep the New York Republican in the House.
According to a source involved in the process, the two top contenders under consideration are both first-term Trump administration officials: former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, and former Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism Ellie Cohanim.
While Friedman likely did not need to undergo vetting due to his former high-profile role, Cohanim has undergone formal vetting, sources say.
President Donald Trump said more than 30 people are interested in the role he described as a“star-making” position while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Trump said that Friedman and Richard Grenell, the envoy for special missions and acting director of the Kennedy Center, are possibilities.
Grenell said he was a “hard no” on taking the role during an <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/ric-grenell-u-n-ambassador-elise-stefanik/2025/03/27/id/1204682/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with Newsmax</a> last week.
“This is not something that I want to do. I’ve got plenty to do,” said Grenell. “I care very deeply, actually, about the U.N. But, you know, Elise Stefanik, let&#8217;s just say, she would have been amazing. She is smart and passionate about world affairs. I think she would have been amazing.&#8221;
Friedman is a longtime friend of Trump who was instrumental in helping to craft the Abraham Accords, moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and pushing for the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
According to sources, Trump’s closest advisors may be reluctant to support Friedman, out of fear that his longstanding relationship with the president could undermine their authority.
Friedman recently shared a story about Trump visiting him during a blizzard in 2005 to pay his respects after the former ambassador’s father died.
“Even people down the block people called up and said ‘we’re sorry we can’t make it,’” Friedman said in an interview. “Around 2:00 in the afternoon I see in my hallway a lot of flash pictures are being taken…and he came from Manhattan 3.5 hours in the car.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
During shiva for David Friedman’s father, US President Donald Trump braved the storm—showing true friendship and respect when it mattered most.
Watch David Friedman share this memory. 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneJewishState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#OneJewishState</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DavidFriedman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#DavidFriedman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trump?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Trump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidM_Friedman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@DavidM_Friedman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Now14Israel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@Now14Israel</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Tamir114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@Tamir114</a> <a href="https://t.co/u1qqz1nTRZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/u1qqz1nTRZ</a>
— One Jewish State (@onejewishstate) <a href="https://twitter.com/onejewishstate/status/1907025151151243405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Additionally, sources say the relationship between Friedman and Trump took a slightly sour turn when Friedman <a href="https://x.com/DavidM_Friedman/status/1596259584703963136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized Trump</a> for meeting with anti-Semite Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, at Mar-a-Lago in 2022.
Friedman praised Trump’s plan for the United States to take control of Gaza <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ambassador-david-friedman-make-u-s-controlled-gaza-a-monument-to-the-failure-of-radical-islamism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in February</a>, which he said would create a “permanent monument to the failure of radical Islamism” if executed correctly.
Cohanim, who prides herself on being the first Iranian-born State Department envoy, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-launches-jewish-voices-for-trump-coalition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was involved</a> with the Trump campaign’s “Jewish Voices for Trump” coalition. Cohanim’s positions align with Trump including her opposition to the rise of anti-Semitism and her fierce opposition to the Iranian regime, which forced her family to flee during the 1979 revolution.
Cohanim, who was a broadcast journalist before joining the first Trump administration, helped craft anti-Semitism policy for the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America in her former position. She was a member of the Abraham Accords’ Warm Peace Team and traveled the Arab world to help with initiatives such as <a href="https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report/article-694668" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speaking at</a> the reopening ceremony of Egypt’s Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria.
Trump’s picking Cohanim would be in line with his track record of nominating women to the role including former UN Ambassadors Nikki Haley and Kelly Craft.
Stefanik, who appeared for her confirmation hearing in January, had her nomination held up due to New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/10/2025/hochul-expected-to-slow-walk-election-to-replace-stefanik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> slow-walking the election to replace the congresswoman as the GOP <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pulls-stefanik-nomination-united-nations-ambassador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grappled</a> with its narrow House majority. Trump announced the withdrawal of her nomination last week, calling Stefanik one of his “biggest Allies.”
“With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,” Trump said.”The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People.”
Friedman and Cohanim did not respond to a request for comment.

Former President Trump Addresses International Christian Media Convention

These Are The Top Contenders For Trump’s Next UN Ambassador Pick

David Friedman

Elise Stefanik

Israel

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand earlier today, killing at least 154 people as President Trump pledged U.S. assistance to the devastated region.
&#8220;The death toll and injuries are expected to increase,&#8221; stated Myanmar&#8217;s military ruler Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing during a television broadcast, confirming 144 fatalities and 730 wounded in his nation.
According to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-earthquake-bangkok-4fce87aced74b1fc0cf260fb5454d353">report</a> by the Associated Press, Thai officials documented 10 deaths, 16 injuries, and 101 missing persons from three construction sites in Bangkok, including one collapsed high-rise.
The tremor hit at midday near Mandalay, Myanmar&#8217;s second-largest city, with multiple aftershocks following, including one measuring 6.4 magnitude.
United States Geological Survey experts estimated that casualties could ultimately exceed 1,000 throughout the region.
Myanmar&#8217;s military regime, which seized power in a 2021 coup, issued urgent calls for blood donations and expressed willingness to accept foreign assistance. The United Nations immediately allocated $5 million for initial relief efforts.
President Donald Trump pledged American aid to the earthquake-ravaged region on Friday, saying, “We’re going to be helping. We’ve already alerted the people. Yeah, it’s terrible what happened.”
Rescue operations face enormous obstacles in Myanmar, which is already suffering from devastating civil conflict, not to mention the now-collapsed bridges and cracked roads as a result of the earthquake.
&#8220;We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction,&#8221; warned Mohammed Riyas, International Rescue Committee&#8217;s Myanmar director.
State media reported building collapses across five urban areas and the destruction of two bridges, including one on a crucial highway connecting major cities. A dam failure in Mandalay has reportedly caused flooding in the surrounding lowlands.
In Bangkok, witnesses captured footage of a 33-story construction project crumbling near the city&#8217;s famous Chatuchak market.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a great tragedy,&#8221; remarked Thailand&#8217;s Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit after visiting the remains of the city.
&#8220;Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need,&#8221; said Julie Mehigan, who oversees Christian Aid&#8217;s work in Asia.
According to United Nations data, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already in desperate need of humanitarian assistance prior to the earthquake.

Tremors from Myanmar Earthquake Are Felt In Bangkok

Death Toll Rises To Over 150 In Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake; Trump Commits American Support

Donald Trump

earthquake

FEMA

Natural Disaster

Hours after President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pulls-stefanik-nomination-united-nations-ambassador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulled</a> her nomination to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) reacted by saying it was about &#8220;stepping up as a team.&#8221;
During an interview on Thursday evening, Stefanik pinned the decision on a &#8220;combination&#8221; of &#8220;the New York corruption&#8221; in the special election process and the House GOP&#8217;s narrow majority.
&#8220;This is about stepping up as a team, and I am doing that as a leader to ensure that we can take hold of this mandate and deliver these historic results,&#8221; Stefanik said on Fox News.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/EliseStefanik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliseStefanik</a> displays PURE CLASS by stepping back from her UN Ambassador nomination to push President Trump’s agenda in Congress and serve her North Country constituents:
&quot;This is about stepping up as a team, and I’m doing that as a leader to ensure that we can take hold of… <a href="https://t.co/uPq9g5gBMR">pic.twitter.com/uPq9g5gBMR</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1905430337645429198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Stefanik, who spoke with host and former Trump spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, mentioned budget reconciliation legislation with which the GOP aims to fulfill Trump&#8217;s domestic agenda priorities.
Although she testified in a confirmation hearing and advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee back in January, Stefanik never got a final vote on the Senate floor.
Her nomination got held up as New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul was <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/10/2025/hochul-expected-to-slow-walk-election-to-replace-stefanik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expected to slow-walk a special election and the House GOP <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-slow-walk-elise-stefanik-confirmation-un-ambassador-rcna192129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grappled</a> with a slim majority.
There are 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the House. Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/critical-florida-special-elections-for-gop-coming-on-tuesday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special elections</a> to fill GOP-won seats are set for next week in Florida. Two other vacancies are from Democrats who recently died.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pulls-stefanik-nomination-united-nations-ambassador" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Truth Social that he asked Stefanik to remain in Congress to help him deliver his &#8220;America First Agenda&#8221; on tax cuts, border security, energy, and more.
&#8220;With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat,&#8221; Trump said, adding that there are &#8220;others that can do a good job at the United Nations.&#8221;
Also in his social media post, Trump mentioned that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was &#8220;thrilled&#8221; with the decision and he said Stefanik would &#8220;rejoin the House Leadership Team.&#8221;
Stefanik previously served as House GOP Conference chair, a role now held by Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI). Johnson <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1905330013244915791" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-johnson-welcomes-elise-stefanik-back-into-house-leadership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invite</a> Stefanik back to the leadership team, but did not specify a position.
In her interview, Stefanik <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1905428658111873374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisted</a> there was &#8220;good news&#8221; because &#8220;the American people will be hearing a lot more from me&#8221; as she no longer has limitations associated with a pending confirmation.
Stefanik also teased what comes next, saying she &#8220;looked forward to continuing to hold higher education accountable for their failures, as well as all of my work &#8230; in the national security space.&#8221;

Rep. Elise Stefanik

‘Stepping Up As A Team’: Stefanik Reacts After Trump Withdraws Nomination

Congress

Politics

Presidential nomination

U.S. House of Representatives

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) offered Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) a seat back at the leadership table after the Trump administration withdrew her nomination for U.N. Ambassador over concerns about House Republicans&#8217; narrow majority in Congress.
&#8220;There is no doubt she would have served with distinction as our ambassador to the United Nations, but we are grateful for her willingness to sacrifice that position and remain in Congress to help us save the country,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;I will invite her to return to the leadership table immediately.&#8221;
He said that Stefanik agreeing to give up her nomination for the sake of helping the team showed that she was a &#8220;devoted patriot&#8221; and &#8220;deeply devoted to her country and fully committed to see President Trump’s agenda succeed in Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;It is well known Republicans have a razor-thin House majority, and Elise’s agreement to withdraw her nomination will allow us to keep one of the toughest, most resolute members of our Conference in place to help drive forward President Trump’s America First policies,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Elise Stefanik is truly a great leader and a devoted patriot. Today’s selfless decision shows America what those of us who work with her already know. She is deeply devoted to her country and fully committed to see President Trump’s agenda succeed in Congress. It is well known…
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1905330013244915791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pulls-stefanik-nomination-united-nations-ambassador?topStoryPosition=undefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> earlier in the day that he withdrew Stefanik&#8217;s nomination because it was &#8220;essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress.&#8221;
&#8220;We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning,” Trump said. “I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Trump added: “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People. Speaker Johnson is thrilled! I look forward to the day when Elise is able to join my Administration in the future. She is absolutely FANTASTIC. Thank you Elise!”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pulls-stefanik-nomination-united-nations-ambassador?topStoryPosition=undefined">Trump Pulls Stefanik Nomination To Become United Nations Ambassador</a>

Mike Johnson Welcomes Elise Stefanik Back Into House Leadership

Mike Johnson

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that he withdrew the nomination of Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik appeared for a confirmation back in January, when she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-nominee-elise-stefanik-blasts-anti-semitic-rot-within-the-united-nations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called out</a> the &#8220;anti-Semitic rot&#8221; within the United Nations, and advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. However, she never got a vote on the Senate floor.
&#8220;As we advance our America First Agenda, it is essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress. We must be unified to accomplish our Mission, and Elise Stefanik has been a vital part of our efforts from the very beginning,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114235745233828789" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on Truth Social. &#8220;I have asked Elise, as one of my biggest Allies, to remain in Congress to help me deliver Historic Tax Cuts, GREAT Jobs, Record Economic Growth, a Secure Border, Energy Dominance, Peace Through Strength, and much more, so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.&#8221;
Trump added: &#8220;With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People. Speaker Johnson is thrilled! I look forward to the day when Elise is able to join my Administration in the future. She is absolutely FANTASTIC. Thank you Elise!&#8221;
Over the past couple of months, Stefanik&#8217;s nomination got held up as New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul was <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/10/2025/hochul-expected-to-slow-walk-election-to-replace-stefanik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expected to slow-walk the election to replace the congresswoman and as Republicans <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-slow-walk-elise-stefanik-confirmation-un-ambassador-rcna192129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grappled</a> with a slim majority in the House.
<a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Currently</a>, there are 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats in the House. Special elections to find replacements for Trump&#8217;s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and Matt Gaetz — both Republicans from Florida — are set for next week. The other two vacancies are from Democrats who recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-congressman-raul-grijalva-dies-of-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a>.
Except for Stefanik, the GOP-led Senate has confirmed all members of Trump&#8217;s picks for his second-term <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/the-cabinet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cabinet</a>. Stefanik, who has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-predicts-house-gop-will-expand-majority-in-2026-with-dems-in-disarray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replaced</a> in the third-ranking position of House GOP Conference chair since her nomination, was even <a href="https://x.com/RepStefanik/status/1897117031926997233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participating</a> in Cabinet meetings.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-offers-elise-stefanik-u-n-ambassadorship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> in November that he was &#8220;honored&#8221; to nominate Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, adding that the congresswoman &#8220;is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.&#8221;
In declaring her acceptance of the nomination, Stefanik said that she stood &#8220;ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations.&#8221;
Stefanik also <a href="https://stefanik.house.gov/2024/11/statement-on-accepting-president-donald-j-trump-s-nomination-to-serve-in-his-cabinet-as-ambassador-to-the-united-nations#:~:text=The%20work%20ahead%20is%20immense,to%20advance%20President%20Donald%20J.">took a shot</a> at the Biden administration: &#8220;The work ahead is immense as we see antisemitism skyrocketing coupled with four years of catastrophically weak U.S. leadership that significantly weakened our national security and diminished our standing in the eyes of both allies and adversaries.&#8221;
Some other Trump 2.0 nominees have withdrawn from consideration, including the president&#8217;s initial choice for U.S. Attorney General, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-matt-gaetz-withdraws-name-from-ag-consideration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaetz</a>, and Hillsborough County Sheriff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-dea-nominee-withdraws-from-consideration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chad Chronister</a>, who had been selected to become administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It is not immediately clear who Trump will pick as Stefanik&#8217;s replacement.

Trump Pulls Stefanik Nomination To Become United Nations Ambassador

U.S.

A gutsy Yemeni Arab journalist blasted the UN and its fellow Israel haters after the U.N. High commissioner condemned Israel for its war against Hamas.
“Nothing justifies the appalling manner in which Israel has conducted its military operations in Gaza, which consistently breached fundamental principles of international humanitarian law,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk declared.
That prompted Yemeni journalist Luai Ahmed, invited to speak by UN Watch, to fire back.
“High Commissioner, my name is Luai Ahmed and I come from Yemen,” he began. “I ask the UN, the Arab League, and everyone who has been raising the Palestinian flag since October 7: Where is the flag of Yemen? In my country, half a million people have died in the last 10 years, the biggest famine and humanitarian crisis in modern history.”
“Why does no one care what half a million Yemenis die?” he asked. “What about Sudan? In less than two years, more than 150,000 people have been killed. Where is the flag of Sudan? What about Syria? Half a million Syrians have been killed? Where is the Syrian flag?”
Then Ahmed came directly to the point, snapping, “High commissioner, why is it that when Arabs kill millions of Arabs, no one bats an eye? Where is the outrage? And where are the protests?”
“Why don’t you mention the Houthis in Yemen who have spent millions of dollars firing missiles at Israel instead of feeding my starving people?” he questioned. “May I ask why your report mentions Israel 188 times yet fails to mention the Islamic regime in Iran even once? How can you speak about the conflict while ignoring the party that has armed, trained, and funded terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis who have been bombing Israel thousands of times?”
He did not forget Qatar, either: “And why is Qatar sitting here as a member of the Human Rights Council when they host the Hamas terror leaders in luxury hotels?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“High Commissioner, my name is Luai Ahmed, and I come from Yemen. 
May I ask why your report mentions Israel 188 times — yet fails to mention the Islamic Republic of Iran even once?
How can you speak about the conflict while ignoring the party that has armed, trained, and…
&mdash; Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1895944166518968646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
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SWITZERLAND-UN-RIGHTS

Gutsy Arab Yemeni Journalist Blasts UN, High Commissioner For Targeting Israel

Yemen

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ripped ABC News host George Stephanopoulos during an interview over the weekend for accusing the U.S. of voting against its allies at the United Nations.
Rubio made the remarks during a Sunday interview on the network&#8217;s &#8220;This Week&#8221; show after Stephanopoulos claimed that the United States &#8220;voted with North Korea and Russia and Belarus in the United Nations and against our Western allies.&#8221;
&#8220;No,&#8221; Rubio fired back, explaining: &#8220;It basically said, this has been a horrible war. It&#8217;s time for it to end.&#8221;
&#8220;The job of the U.N. is to bring about peace in the world,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I thought that&#8217;s what the U.N. was created to do, to stop wars and to prevent them, and that&#8217;s what the resolution did.&#8221;
&#8220;Was it antagonistic towards the Russians? No,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Back to the point, but it also didn&#8217;t praise the Russians. All it said is, this is a bad war. It needs to end.&#8221;
Rubio noted that the first resolution on Ukraine that has passed the Security Council in the three years the war has gone on only happened after Trump came back into office.
&#8220;And I just don&#8217;t get it. I really don&#8217;t, other than the fact that it&#8217;s Donald J. Trump,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If this was a Democrat that was doing this, everyone would be saying, &#8216;Well, he’s on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize.&#8217; This is absurd. We are trying to end a war. You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table, starting with the Russians. And that is the point the president has made. And we have to do whatever we can to try to bring them to the table to see if it&#8217;s even possible.&#8221;
He said that bringing both sides to the table did not guarantee that any particular outcome would happen, only that if it did not happen, it was &#8220;zero percent likely&#8221; that there would be peace.
&#8220;The president&#8217;s crystal clear. He campaigned on it,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And he&#8217;s going to govern on it. And that is, he is going to be a president that tries to achieve peace. And he has been very clear, this is a war that would have never happened had Donald Trump been in the White House. And it needs to end. And we&#8217;re going to do everything we can to end it. And in an enduring and sustainable and fair way.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Amazing explanation of the situation from <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a>: &#8220;Shouldn&#8217;t we all be happy that we have a President that is trying to stop wars and prevent them instead of start them?&#8230; We are trying to end a war. You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/aoGfXm3PJ5">pic.twitter.com/aoGfXm3PJ5</a>
— Alex Pfeiffer (@Pfeiffer47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pfeiffer47/status/1896211011151233297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote>

Marco Rubio Sworn In As US Secretary Of State

Rubio Rips Stephanopoulos Over U.N. Resolution: If Trump Was A Democrat, He’d Win ‘Nobel Peace Prize’

Marco Rubio

Media

Ukraine-Russia War

Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN) introduced a bill on Thursday that would make President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization permanent, barring massing reform. 
The <a href="https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/files/E5F2FE62-438C-4157-98FE-439FA3126326" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> would block taxpayer dollars from either funding WHO programs or American membership in the organization unless the organization took significant steps to demonstrate independence from China and root out leftist ideology. Blackburn&#8217;s fellow Republican Senators John Barrasso (WY), Rick Scott (FL), and Ted Cruz joined Blackburn in putting the legislation forward.
“The World Health Organization has long been a puppet for the Chinese Communist Party, grossly mismanaging the COVID pandemic and taking over a billion dollars of U.S. funding without advancing our interests,” Blackburn told The Daily Wire. “We must support President Trump’s actions to hold the WHO accountable by ensuring any future president who wants to rejoin meets concrete conditions of improvement.”
The bill would codify Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-u-s-to-withdraw-from-world-health-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">day one executive order</a> withdrawing the United States from the organization, citing WHO handling of COVID and demands for &#8220;onerous&#8221; and unfair payments. 
Under certain conditions, the legislation said that it would be possible for the United States to rejoin WHO. These conditions include the WHO adopting reforms to ensure that humanitarian aid is not politicized, demonstrate independence from the Chinese Communist Party, grant observer status to Taiwan, and end funding or promotion of things like abortion, climate change, and sex-change procedures. 
Another condition would stipulate that humanitarian aid and medical supplies could not be diverted to Iran, Syria, and North Korea. 
“American tax dollars cannot be used to fund the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) and World Health Organization’s (WHO) cover-up of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mismanagement, failed transparency, and lack of independence at the WHO is inexcusable,” Barrasso told The Daily Wire. “Our bill ensures that not one penny of taxpayer money is spent rejoining the WHO if serious reforms aren’t made to prevent another failed pandemic response.”
A companion version has been introduced in the House by Republican Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX), Ron Estes (KS), Greg Steube (FL), and Anna Paulina Luna (FL).
When Trump issued the executive order last month to pull America out of WHO, he said that the country was paying too much to be a member of the United Nations-backed organization in comparison to other countries like China. 
“So we paid $500 million to World Health when I was here and I terminated it,” Trump said, adding that it “seemed a little unfair” because China was paying around $39 million to the organization. 
Trump ended American participation in WHO back in 2020, but that decision was later reversed by Joe Biden.

Twitter Whistleblower Testifies Before Senate Judiciary Committee

EXCLUSIVE: Blackburn Bill Would Make Trump’s World Health Organization Exit Permanent

China

COVID-19

John Barrasso

Marsha Blackburn

Rick Scott

Ted Cruz

World Health Organization

Israeli former hostage Noa Argamani addressed the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, sharing details of her experience on October 7, 2023 — when Hamas terrorists breached the border into Israel and slaughtered more than 1200 — and over more than eight months as a hostage in Gaza.
Argamani, who was held by Hamas for 246 days before her release, called for all remaining hostages to be returned home: &#8220;We are talking about innocent people, taken from their bed, from a dance party, from their simple life, into a pure hell.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“We are talking about innocent people, taken from their bed, from a dance party, from their simple life, into a pure hell.”
🎗Rescued hostage Noa Argamani bravely addresses the UN Security Council this morning <a href="https://t.co/6TUN46ksBG">pic.twitter.com/6TUN46ksBG</a>
&mdash; Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelWarRoom/status/1894416902618746905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At one point, Argamani described in detail an incident that occurred after 54 days in captivity — and the deaths of two of her friends, Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky.
&#8220;It was just me, Itay Svirsky, and Yossi Sharabi. One evening, the house we were held in was blown up, and we found ourselves in the destruction. Itay was able to stand up, but Yossi and I were stuck under the rubbles,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t move, I couldn&#8217;t breathe—I thought it&#8217;s going to be my last seconds of my life.&#8221;
&#8220;I screamed so loud so someone would hear me, and I heard Yossi screaming too. But after a few seconds, I stopped hearing from Yossi. I was pulled out of the rubbles and I tried to help Yossi. But when we got to him, it was already too late,&#8221; she continued.
&#8220;Itay and I had to find somewhere else to hide, so one of our captors took us to another house. But two days later, Itay was murdered by the same captor. Itay was with me since the first day of captivity. We told each other everything—he was my true soulmate. [May their memories] be a blessing,&#8221; Argamani said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today at the UN security meeting, Noa Argamani told the council about the horrific deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky.
Every second in captivity, the hostages are at the mercy of Hamas. And we know what their mercy looks like.
We must bring them home now! <a href="https://t.co/8ICjqWBaON">pic.twitter.com/8ICjqWBaON</a>
&mdash; Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) <a href="https://twitter.com/HenMazzig/status/1894419320374952293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Argamani also recalled the fear that the time would never come for her own release from her captors, saying, &#8220;I know what it feels like to be left behind — to watch other hostages reunite with their families while I remained in captivity, wondering if my turn would ever come.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“I know what it feels like to be left behind—to watch other hostages reunite with their families while I remained in captivity, wondering if my turn would ever come.”
Former hostage Noa Argamani shared these haunting words with the UN Security Council. She was one of the few… <a href="https://t.co/K0TgiDljnG">pic.twitter.com/K0TgiDljnG</a>
&mdash; Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) <a href="https://twitter.com/AvivaKlompas/status/1894425504008052972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
She continued to call for the release of the remaining hostages, including her partner, saying, &#8220;As I speak, there are still 63 hostages living in a nightmare, including my partner Avinatan Or. Our life cannot go without them.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“As I speak, there are still 63 hostages living in a nightmare, including my partner Avinatan Or.” 
“Our life cannot go without them.”
— Rescued hostage Noa Argamani addresses the UN Security Council <a href="https://t.co/GX2CRKr8Oq">pic.twitter.com/GX2CRKr8Oq</a>
&mdash; Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelWarRoom/status/1894411309212426567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

JAPAN-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-CONFLICT-ARGAMANI

Israeli Former Hostage Addresses UN Security Council: ‘I Know What It Feels Like To Be Left Behind’

Israeli Former Hostage Addresses UN Security Council: 'I Know What It Feels Like To Be Left Behind'

Global Politics

Hostages

In the midst of swirling controversy over a potential U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) shutdown, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdw31c6HPCI" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> exposed</a> some of the agency’s “insane priorities,” ranging from $1.5 million to advance DEI in Serbia, $70,000 for a DEI musical in Ireland, $47,000 for a “transgender opera” in Colombia, and $32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru. It’s clearly time for a reckoning.
Putting an end to this kind of egregious waste of American taxpayer funds would not only benefit America, it also would be a tremendous boon for the recipient countries that have long suffered ideological coercion under the guise of U.S. foreign assistance.
As convincingly <a href="https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1886059275174506850">put</a> by the president of El Salvador, “Most governments don’t want USAID funds flowing into their countries because they understand where much of that money actually ends up … At best, maybe 10% of the money reaches real projects that help people in need … Cutting this so-called aid isn’t just beneficial for the United States; it’s also a big win for the rest of the world.”
News of high-stakes financial mismanagement from USAID fits a horrifying pattern of foreign aid abuse. Having worked inside the United Nations for a decade, I saw firsthand how vast quantities of what’s labeled “foreign aid” backs programs that are pointless at best and extremely harmful at their worst.
Take, for example, abortion. The U.S. in 2023 became the largest donor to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/donor/united-states-america?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$130 million</a> for its abortion-centric work in developing countries. This is the same agency that openly pushed abortion <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/united-nations-using-coronavirus-funding-promote-abortion-opinion-1502710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legalization</a> as a condition for COVID relief. Recipients included Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, and Ethiopia, alongside a host of others with laws that protect unborn life. High levels of conflict and poverty render these governments particularly vulnerable to the strings that come attached to foreign aid.
In 2020, <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/07/united-nations-commission-holds-up-coronavirus-aid-over-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ecuador</a> was singled out for an $8 million U.N. COVID assistance package with the requirement that Ecuador implement “safe legal abortion.” At the time, USAID <a href="https://srhrindex.srhrforall.org/uploads/2022/06/2020_Acting-Administrator-John-Barsa-Letter-to-UN-Secretary-General-Guterres_18-May-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued</a> a strongly worded letter insisting that the U.N. cease using the pandemic as an excuse for abortion coercion. 
The letter cites USAID’s 2019 funding to the tune of $3.5 billion to the U.N., including $45.3 million specifically for pandemic relief. The point is, even though the first Trump administration rejected the funding of abortion internationally as a general legal principle, USAID was still sending billions to the U.N., which was going right back around to fund abortion around the world.
Now, as the Trump administration overhauls its foreign aid architecture, it should recall the lessons learned from the U.N. COVID abortion fiasco. Shutting down our own foreign aid offenders is only part of the puzzle. The administration will want to ensure enormous sums of taxpayer dollars aren’t supporting the promotion of nefarious agendas at the hands of the U.N. and other international institutions too.
Fortunately, the Trump administration has brought back the expanded Mexico City Policy, preventing federal funds from going to abortion- promoting NGOs abroad. This is squarely in line with a 2022 <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-knights-of-columbusmarist-poll-a-majority-of-americans-support-legal-limits-on-abortion-and-oppose-taxpayer-funding-301465042.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a>, which found that 73% of Americans oppose using tax dollars to support abortion abroad. Surely, most Americans reject the idea of their money funding “transgender operas” too.
While it may be compelling for the Trump administration to lead with an “America first” approach to foreign aid overhaul, keep in mind that foreign aid accountability is not just in the best interest of America. It’s also in the best interest of recipient countries. Instead of pushing DEI, “transgender operas,” or abortion, any U.S. aid should support the dignity of people in need in their own cultural and legal context, rather than treating them as pawns in ideological battles.
As the Trump administration undertakes a foreign aid overhaul, the guiding principle should be strict accountability. Every dollar spent should be traceable. Americans deserve to know what their money is going toward and to have assurance that taxpayer money is not used to promote coercive agendas.
The problem with USAID wasn’t that it used foreign aid to advance American interests. Every Western country does that. The problem is the extent to which so much of this aid was used to promote disturbing ideological agendas. The great irony here lies in the blind pride of wokeism. USAID failed to see how billions for ideologically driven initiatives does nothing to boost U.S. influence—it just makes America a laughingstock. If the agency’s job was to boost American influence, it should have gone another route than DEI and transgender promotion.
* * *
Elyssa Koren is an international human rights lawyer and director of legal communications for <a href="https://www.adfinternational.org/">ADF International</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Trump And Musk’s USAID ‘Shut Down’ Threat Opens Door For China

Where Do The Dollars Go? Here’s One Major Way USAID Spends Money

Abortion

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Federal Government

Foreign Policy

Karoline Leavitt

USAID

President Donald Trump is expected to issue an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) this afternoon, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/03/us-withdraw-un-human-rights-council-trump-00202100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to POLITICO</a>. The executive order will also prohibit future funding for the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The factsheet announcing the withdrawal accused the UNHRC of not fulfilling its purpose and being a “protective body for countries committing horrific human rights violations.”
“The UNHRC has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings,” the document says. “In 2018, the year President Trump withdrew from the UNHRC in his first administration, the organization passed more resolutions condemning Israel than Syria, Iran, and North Korea combined.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-us-officially-withdraws-un-human-rights-amanda-prestigiacomo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdrew from</a> the UNHRC during his first term in 2018. At the time, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley accused the council of scapegoating nations with clean human rights records and propping up the world’s worst human rights abusers.
Some of the world’s worst human rights abusers currently serve on the UNHRC, including Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, China, and Qatar.
The Biden administration paused funding to UNRWA following reports that some of its staffers participated in the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
Israel banned UNRWA from operating on Israeli land last month. Several recently released hostages from Gaza said they were held in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj91ygv803xo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNRWA facilities</a>. UNRWA has also come under fire for its schools promoting hatred of Jews and promoting Palestinian dependency on the global community by granting refugee status to the descendants of refugees, which no other group is granted.
In December, the watchdog UN Watch <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/un-watchdog-encourages-trump-admin-to-demand-resignation-of-top-un-human-rights-official" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a report</a> revealing that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has ignored some of the world’s most oppressive regimes. The report showed that Türk condemned the United States more than China, North Korea, Cuba, and Qatar combined. It added that Türk has not touched on the human rights violations in Cuba, North Korea, Algeria, Eritrea, Mauritania, Lebanon, and Qatar, but has condemned American allies such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, France, and Israel.

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Trump To Withdraw United States From UN Human Rights Council

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