Who Is U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, Former Trump Critic Turned Ally?

Despite declaring support for Trump in the election, Elise Stefanik maintained a semblance of criticism. Just a month after she announced her support, she criticized his remarks about speaker Khizr Khan, whose Muslim son had died serving in the U.S. Army. However, following Trump’s victory, Stefanik increasingly aligned herself with his staunch supporters. According to a 2017 poll by FiveThirtyEight, Stefanik agreed with 77.7% of Trump’s decisions.

Her notable disagreements with him included his Muslim ban and the decision to declare a national emergency at the southern border. Interestingly, the widespread outrage did little to influence Trump’s stance and only delayed the passing of legislation. In 2019, Stefanik voted for the Equality Act to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination. However, her subsequent policies would be perceived as heavily pro-Trump. After Donald Trump lost his re-election campaign in 2020, 126 GOP members signed a petition requesting the Supreme Court to consider overturning the presidential election. Among them was a vocal Elise Stefanik. Following the Capitol Riot, she blamed Speaker Nancy Pelosi, alleging that Pelosi had intentionally neglected to act to prevent the attack.