Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) engaged in a dialogue with U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), President Trump's nominee for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, during a hearing by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The discussion centered around reforming the United Nations and addressing Communist China's influence within the organization.

Senator Ricketts highlighted concerns regarding corruption and mismanagement at the U.N., referencing Winston Churchill's statement that “the U.N. was set up not to get us to heaven, but only to save us from hell.” He stressed the importance of reforms, given the significant financial contributions made by American taxpayers, which amounted to $18 billion in 2022.

In response to how reforms could be driven using these funds, Stefanik stated: “We owe that to American taxpayers to ensure that all of our dollars and investment represent our values and answer the key questions of does it make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

Addressing concerns about Communist China's influence at the U.N., Ricketts asked about strategies for increasing U.S. leadership within its committees. Stefanik emphasized: “We need to have a strategy...working closely with our allies and our partners...to make sure that we’re running candidates...in elections for key leadership posts within the U.N. system.”

Stefanik also underscored recruiting Americans or allied nations' personnel into various roles within the organization as essential: “I think we have to have a mission to recruit at the most junior levels...I also think we need to have a strategy, working with Secretary Rubio.”

The conversation touched on Communist China’s increase in employment within the U.N., with Ricketts noting an 85% rise between 2009 and 2021. Stefanik suggested partnerships with educational institutions and private sectors as potential avenues for addressing long-term personnel challenges.

Ricketts concluded by reiterating his concern over China’s efforts to gain influence: "Because if we don’t have our people in the U.N., we’re just leaving it open to Communist China...this is one of the ways they’re trying to displace us as world power."