Stefanik looks back to fiery exchanges with college leaders in Senate confirmation hearing: 'watershed moment'

Since 2023, Stefanik has served as a conservative firebrand who has repeatedly grilled "morally bankrupt" college leaders over their handling of antisemitism on campus following Hamas attacking Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

During last year's college school year, agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses nationwide to protest the war in Israel, which also included spiking instances of antisemitism and Jewish students publicly speaking out that they do not feel safe on some campuses. 

Most notably, Stefanik grilled Ivy League college administrators from Penn and Harvard, her alma mater, in December 2023 regarding whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" violates the respective school's codes of conduct. The school leaders, however, waffled in their responses. 

"It can be, depending on the context," Harvard's then-President Claudine Gay responded when asked if "calling for the genocide of Jews" violated school conduct rules. 

"Antisemitic speech when it crosses into conduct that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation - that is actionable conduct, and we do take action," Gay said when pressed to answer "yes" or "no" if calls for the genocide of Jews breaks school rules. 

Both Gay and Penn's then-President Liz Magill resigned from their high-profile positions shortly after the hearing, while footage of the exchanges spread like wildfire on social media. 

Stefanik said in her opening remarks on Tuesday that Trump sees "great promise" for the United Nations if it returns to its roots of promoting peace around the globe. 

"When discussing this nomination with President Trump, the President shared with me that he sees great promise in the United Nations if it focuses on its founding mission of international peace and security. President Trump has long advocated for peace and no new wars," she said.