President Donald Trump on Monday officially nominated former California GOP Rep. Michelle Steel to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea, prompting both relief and enthusiasm from Southern California to Seoul — the city of her birth.
Steel is already a trailblazer, having become the first Korean American woman elected to Congress when she defeated Democrat Rep. Harley Rouda in 2020.
A determined and well-educated leader, Steel studied in South Korea, Japan, and the United States, including at Pepperdine University and the University of Southern California, before building a career as a businesswoman.
She went on to win election to California's Board of Equalization, then served two terms on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, where she also held the position of chair.
In 2024, Steel narrowly lost her bid for a third term by just 653 votes out of more than 315,000 cast, making it one of the closest House races in the nation and one that took until nearly Thanksgiving to finalize.
If confirmed, Steel, 70, will represent the United States in South Korea during a period of political upheaval, following the impeachment and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his attempt to impose martial law.
South Korea subsequently elected Lee Jae Myung — widely viewed as a left-leaning leader — as president in June, ushering in a shift in the country's political direction.
Lee has emphasized closer ties with China, hosting President Xi Jinping last year for his first visit to South Korea in more than a decade.
While opposing reunification with North Korea under communist rule, Lee has also advocated for increased cooperation with Pyongyang and stated that South Korea "respects North Korea's system."
Steel, like her husband Shawn Steel — a California Republican National Committeeman — is a vocal conservative and strong supporter of Trump.
Known for her tenacity in both California politics and Congress, she has built a reputation as someone unafraid to confront political opponents.
Reflecting on her early days in Congress, Steel told Newsmax in 2020 that she worked daily to improve her English pronunciation, noting that while some criticized her accent, clarity of ideas mattered more.
She added pointedly that although Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks without an accent, she still finds her difficult to understand — emphasizing her commitment to engaging directly and responding on substance.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.