Biden Signals Shift From Trump With National Security Picks
The six picks, including former Secretary of State
In choosing foreign policy veterans, Biden appears to be seeking to upend President Donald Trump’s war on the so-called deep state that saw an exodus of senior and mid-level career officials from government, notably from the ranks of the
Biden will nominate his longtime adviser
The incoming president will also appoint
They will join Biden and Vice President-elect
The choices reflect Biden's emphasis on developing a diverse team with Thomas-Greenfield, a Black woman, at the helm of the
Biden is also expected to nominate
They “are experienced, crisis-tested leaders who are ready to hit the ground running on day one,” the transition said in a statement. “These officials will start working immediately to rebuild our institutions, renew and reimagine American leadership to keep Americans safe at home and abroad, and address the defining challenges of our time — from infectious disease, to terrorism, nuclear proliferation, cyber threats, and climate change.”
In making the announcements, Biden moved forward with plans to fill out his administration even as Trump refuses to concede defeat in the
The stakes of a smooth transition are especially high this year because Biden will take office amid the worst pandemic in more than a century, which will likely require a full government response to contain.
“If confirmed, this is a mission I will take on with my full heart,” said Blinken, who would take over the nation’s oldest
Thomas-Greenfield — a career diplomat for more than 30 years serving as ambassador to
“My mother taught me to lead with the power of kindness and compassion to make the world a better place,” she said in a tweet. “I’ve carried that lesson with me throughout my career in Foreign Service — and, if confirmed, will do the same as Ambassador to the United Nations.”
The best known of the bunch is Kerry, who made climate change one of his top priorities while serving as Obama's secretary of state, during which he also negotiated the
“America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is,” Kerry said. “I’m proud to partner with the president-elect, our allies, and the young leaders of the climate movement to take on this crisis as the president’s climate envoy.”
Sullivan, who at 43 will be one of the youngest national security advisers in history, was a top aide to former Secretary of State
“Now, he has asked me to serve as his national security adviser,” Sullivan said. “In service, I will do everything in my power to keep our country safe.”
Mayorkas said he was humbled by the nomination. “When I was very young,
Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. If confirmed, he would be a leading force in the incoming administration’s bid to reframe the
Blinken recently participated in a national security briefing with Biden and Vice President-elect
Blinken will inherit a deeply demoralized and depleted career workforce at the
Although the department escaped massive proposed cuts of more than 30% in its budget for three consecutive years, it has seen a significant number of departures from its senior and rising mid-level ranks, from which many diplomats have opted to retire or leave the foreign service given limited prospects for advancements under an administration they believed did not value their expertise.
Blinken served on the
A graduate of
“Democracy is in retreat around the world, and unfortunately it’s also in retreat at home because of the president taking a two-by-four to its institutions, its values and its people every day," Blinken told the AP in September. "Our friends know that
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