Career Diplomat Becomes The Face Of Trump's 'america First' Agenda At The Un

The highest-ranking U.S. representative now at the United Nations told Congress two years ago that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was "unprovoked" and "unjustified," urging U.N. members to condemn Moscow's aggression and demand an end to the war .

In February, it was the same career diplomat, Dorothy Shea, who voiced the Trump administration's extraordinary decision to split with European allies and refuse to back a U.N. resolution blaming Russia for its invasion on the third anniversary of the war.

While it is typical for diplomats to stay on as U.S. presidents - and their political parties - change, Shea's interim role has unexpectedly made her a face of the stunning U.S. transition on the world stage, with President Donald Trump's "America First" approach increasingly upending the post-World War II international order.

Shea will be in place longer than expected after Trump's unusual decision last month to withdraw his nominee for U.N. ambassador, Rep. Elise Stefanik, from consideration because of a slim Republican House majority.

"I would say Shea's position is unique. It is probably particularly unique in that because of the extraordinary change, not just from one administration to another, but really an era of U.S. foreign policy, even when there were nuanced differences," said Phillip Reeker, the former acting assistant secretary of state for Europe. "The change in the vote that took place at the U.N. on the Russia-Ukraine war was really an inflection point in U.S. policy."