In a surprising move, President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nominee for ambassador to the United Nations in an effort to preserve the Republicans’ slim majority in the House. In a Truth Social post Thursday, the president announced that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) would not be going to the U.N. as originally planned but would remain in Congress.

“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,” Trump stated. He continued, “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.”

“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,” the president emphasized. He added, “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.”

Currently, Republicans maintain a slim majority in the House with 218 seats to the Democrats’ 213. Four seats are currently vacant, including two seats previously held by Republicans. Matt Gaetz was nominated by Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general and surrendered his congressional seat almost immediately. Within a few days, though, he had withdrawn his name from consideration for the administration position. His nomination was controversial even among some Republicans as the young Florida congressman had been dogged by alleged ethics complaints. Mike Waltz, who also represented Florida, resigned from Congress to take on the position of national security advisor to the president.

Stefanik was one of the first nominees announced by Trump shortly after winning November’s presidential election. At the time, Trump said that the New York congresswoman “will be an incredible Ambassador to the United Nations, delivering Peace through Strength and America First National Security policies!” Stefanik, for her part, readily accepted the appointment, saying, “I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”

When the president began pulling so many Republicans from the House to serve in his administration, some began to worry that the GOP’s already-slim margins might be worn too thin. In comments to The Washington Stand, Family Research Council’s senior director of Government Affairs, Quena González, explained, “This is a reminder that the margin of the Republican majority in the House is razor-thin. As Congress works to enact President Trump’s agenda, every single vote counts.”

In confirming that Stefanik would remain in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) emphasized the same point. “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,” Johnson said in a social media post. He continued, “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. I will invite her to return to the leadership table immediately.”

FRC Action Director Matt Carpenter drove the point home in comments to TWS. “In a 435-member body, it takes 218 to make a majority, the exact number of House Republicans. Speaker Johnson cannot afford to have any more vacancies. Even sick days or other emergencies can be problematic,” Carpenter explained. Noting that there are already four vacant seats, he continued, “If Rep. Elise Stefanik were to resign, and create an additional vacancy, it would make Speaker Johnson’s job trying to implement as much of the Trump agenda as possible much harder.”

Looking to the GOP’s future in the House, Carpenter added, “Stefanik’s district is considered ‘safe Republican’ by most political observers, however, even a temporary vacancy of a couple months could make governing from the House side incredibly difficult.” He observed, “April 1 is Election Day for the two House Republican vacancies in Florida; both districts are considered ‘safe’ or ‘likely Republican.’ If the GOP prevails in both special elections, the House majority will increase to 220, giving Speaker Johnson some breathing room.”

In a Thursday evening interview, Stefanik herself related that the decision to withdraw her nomination was centered on the GOP’s slight House majority. “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,” she said. She also pointed to “the New York corruption” she anticipated in relation to a special election that would be needed to fill her seat. Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) and Democrats in the state legislature had reportedly planned to adjust New York’s election laws in order to slow down a special election in the deep-red district that Stefanik would have vacated. In November, Stefanik handily won reelection in her district with over 62% of the vote, leading her Democratic opponent by nearly 25 points.