Speaker Johnson Widens Intelligence Panel for Rep. Stefanik

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has reportedly rejoined the House Intelligence Committee after Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., decided to increase the panel's membership following President Donald Trump's withdrawal of her nomination for United Nations ambassador.

In a unanimous vote Friday, the House approved a rule change to allow a maximum of 27 members to sit on the Intelligence Committee. According to The Hill, Johnson then appointed Stefanik and Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., to the panel. She will reportedly serve as ranking member below House Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford, R-Ark.

The committee's previous maximum was 25 members.

Trump pulled Stefanik's nomination in March over concerns about retaining the razor-thin majority the GOP holds in the House, saying in a Truth Social post it was "essential that we maintain EVERY Republican Seat in Congress."

Stefanik had been a member of the House Intelligence Committee since 2017 but gave up her seat in anticipation of leaving the House to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. When the 119th Congress began, Johnson filled the committee — leaving Stefanik without a spot when the nomination fell through.

Johnson had promised to put Stefanik back on the panel in April when he announced her as chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership, but his mechanism for doing so had been unclear until Friday's action.

"I'm proud to continue my work as a senior Member of the House Intelligence Committee, House Armed Services Committee, and the Education and the Workforce Committee to secure results for my constituents in New York's 21st Congressional District and the American people," Stefanik said in April. "I look forward to the work ahead in enacting President Trump's historic agenda."

Stefanik's relationship with Johnson has reportedly been rocky since her ambassadorship was scuttled, and in April, The New York Times reported that the congresswoman blamed the speaker for the White House's decision to nix her nomination. The two reportedly got into a public tiff that same month over her interest in running for New York governor.

They later met, with Johnson saying he had a "really great meeting" with Stefanik, whom he described as "like a sister to me."

"There was a lot of things being said that weren't true of people about us and what was being said, and we worked that out and I thought it was great," Johnson said, according to The Hill.