State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked about President Trump's plans to select a new nominee to be Ambassador to the UN after Rep. Elise Stefanik's (R-NY) nomination was withdrawn.
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00:00A second question. It's been three weeks now since Elise Stefanik withdrew from the nomination for UN Ambassador.
00:07A draft came out, it was leaked, I guess, yesterday, but a draft is always a window into an administration's thinking.
00:14If it's real.
00:15Zeroing out funding.
00:15I'm sorry?
00:16If it's real.
00:17If it's real.
00:17If it's actually, yeah, if it actually came from where they say it came from, go ahead.
00:22Zeroing out funding for the UN. So I'm trying to find out.
00:27Oh, it might have, yes.
00:28Is there a correlation here between the lack of willingness to put forward another candidate and how long?
00:37Oh, the conversation. So over drinks at night with you must be amazing.
00:41I look forward to that.
00:42How long? With an interim ambassador in there, doesn't it do damage to drag out the process as long?
00:47No, no. I think you've been around for a while. The budget process is a long one.
00:52We're also going through a process here of cutting down the budget because the deficit and the problems we've had, the way we've been spending, is unsustainable.
01:01Uh, and so the president is making America great again by making sure she doesn't collapse economically.
01:06Uh, that's one of those, one of those standards.
01:09Uh, when it comes to, we've seen the process. I'm not going to speak to the choices President Trump has made, uh, or the nature of Congress and the issue of majorities and minorities.
01:19And the fact, though, that this, there is a great deal of talent, uh, that he has to choose from for the, the UN ambassador for every other position here.
01:29It's people, perhaps, who haven't been in government, people who have been, people who've never been ambassadors, people who could be.
01:35Uh, it, it, it really opens up his point of view and who he knows and what he expects, like Steve Whitcoff, uh, Ambassador Whitcoff, remarkable man, now playing an extraordinary role, uh, in trying to achieve world peace.
01:47Uh, that is maybe not something that was ever on his plate, but it's happening.
01:51I would say the talent that is here, uh, is more than enough for the president to, uh, choose another candidate.
01:58And secondly, uh, that other story, which we addressed on Tuesday about zeroing out NATO and the UN, uh, is absurd.
02:07The fact is, there, if, uh, the funding might look different, but it also will be more effective, more efficient funding that allow us, perhaps, to do even more as we deal with waste, fraud, and abuse.
02:18It is something you've heard before, but it's worth repeating.
02:21It's worth repeating.
02:22So then when we deal with NATO, he's, uh, Secretary Rubio has stated repeatedly, we are committed to NATO, but one that is viable.
02:29And, and our love for NATO will be part of, uh, example by our assisting them and encouraging them to become more viable and to be more financially independent.
02:39For the UN, the UN clearly needs a strong American voice as we've seen that it can make a difference.
02:45And we are going to have one.
02:46President Trump will make that decision and it will be a good one.
02:50All right.
02:51Yes, sir.