Joe Biden names Antony Blinken to succeed Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State

Last Updated on Sunday, 22 November 2020, 23:10 by Denis Chabrol

Reproduced from the Washington Post

President-elect Joe Biden is planning to announce that he has selected Antony Blinken, one of his closest and longest-serving foreign policy advisers, as secretary of state.

It puts Blinken in one of the highest-profile cabinet positions at a time when Biden is planning to prioritize foreign policy as a major pillar in his administration, with vows to restitch global alliances and insert the United States into a more prominent position on the world stage.

Soon after taking office, Biden plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords, stop the U.S. exit from the World Health Organization and rejoin the Iran nuclear deal. Blinken has been described as having a “mind meld” with Biden on a range of issues that will be important in his early tenure.

Blinken’s appointment, first reported Sunday night by Bloomberg News, was confirmed by three people familiar with an announcement scheduled for Tuesday. Jake Sullivan, another top Biden advisers, is expected to be named as national security adviser, according to two people familiar with the announcement.

Blinken’s appointment, first reported Sunday night by Bloomberg News, was confirmed by three people familiar with an announcement scheduled for Tuesday. Jake Sullivan, another top Biden advisers, is expected to be named as national security adviser, according to two people familiar with the announcement.

Blinken was the staff director for Biden while he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has also worked on his presidential campaigns. During the Obama administration, he was deputy national security adviser and deputy secretary of state.
Throughout Biden’s campaign, he played a prominent role and was often by Biden’s side during major decisions or in drafting big speeches.
He co-founded a political strategy firm, WestExec Advisers, along with Michele Flournoy, who served in the Obama administration and is widely believed to be in contention to serve as Secretary of Defense in a Biden administration. She would be the first woman to assume that role.

Blinken was the staff director for Biden while he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has also worked on his presidential campaigns. During the Obama administration, he was deputy national security adviser and deputy secretary of state.
Throughout Biden’s campaign, he played a prominent role and was often by Biden’s side during major decisions or in drafting big speeches.
He co-founded a political strategy firm, WestExec Advisers, along with Michele Flournoy, who served in the Obama administration and is widely believed to be in contention to serve as Secretary of Defense in a Biden administration. She would be the first woman to assume that role.