House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) endorsed former President Donald Trump’s expected bid to run for president in 2024, saying “it’s very clear” Trump is the leader of the GOP.

Stefanik released a statement as Trump said last week that he would very soon announce his candidacy for president in 2024. The New York Times initially broke Stefanik’s endorsement for Trump. Stefanik explained her reasoning in a statement to Breitbart News.

“Republican voters determine who is the leader of the Republican Party and it’s very clear President Trump is the leader of the Republican party. What the media fails to report is that we just won the midterms and flipped the House,” Stefanik in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News.

Stefanik is the first member of the House or Senate leadership to endorse Trump’s bid for presdient.

The Associated Press (AP) has not officially declared that Republicans have won the House majority.

She continued, saying that Trump would easily defeat any potential Republican primary challengers and that under Trump, America was far more safe, secure, and prosperous.

“I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President in 2024. I fully support him running again. Under his presidency, America was strong at home and abroad, our economy was red hot, our border was secure, our neighborhoods were safe, our law enforcement was respected, and our enemies feared us,” Stefanik said. “We cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden’s failed policies that have led to the inflation crisis, border crisis, and crime crisis. It is time for Republicans to unite around the most popular Republican in America, who has a proven track record of conservative governance. Poll after poll shows that President Trump would defeat any Republican challenger by massive margins, and would beat Joe Biden if the election were held today. President Trump has always put America First, and I look forward to supporting him so we can save America.”

Trump teased his potential Republican presidential announcement during a rally in Sioux City, Iowa, on November 4.

“And now in order to make our country successful, and safe, and glorious, I will very very very probably do it again. Okay? Very very very probably. Very very very probably.”

Stefanik has said that House Republicans will repeal 87,000 IRS agents hired under President Joe Biden on the first day that Republicans take back the House.

Editor’s Note: The headline of this article was revised to reflect that Rep. Stefanik’s explanation of her Trump endorsement is exclusive to Breitbart News, not the announcement of the endorsement itself, which was first reported by the New York Times.

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.