Tony Blinken

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Antony Blinken
Image of Antony Blinken

Nonpartisan

U.S. Secretary of State
Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

3

Predecessor

Antony "Tony" J. Blinken is the U.S. secretary of state in the Biden administration. The Senate confirmed Blinken on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78-22.[1]

The secretary of state is the chief adviser to the president on foreign policy and leads the U.S. Department of State.[2]

In his opening remarks at his confirmation hearing, Blinken said, "We can take on the existential threat posed by climate change. We can revitalize our core alliances—force multipliers of our influence around the world. Together, we are far better positioned to counter threats from Russia, Iran, North Korea, and to stand up for democracy and human rights. And in everything we do around the world, I believe that we can and we must ensure that our foreign policy is actually working to deliver for American working families here at home."[3]

In February 2022, ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Blinken said the United States would "use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President (Vladimir) Putin from carrying this forward."[4] Ahead and after the invasion, the U.S. supplied aid and weapons to Ukraine.[5]

On U.S.-China ties, Blinken said the relationship between both countries would be “competitive where it should be, collaborative where it can be, adversarial where it must be."[6] During Blinken's tenure, the United States accused China of engaging in cyberwarfare.[7] On Taiwan, Blinken said the United States "do[es] not support Taiwan independence" but is focused on "peace, stability, [and] no change to the status quo" in the strait.[8]

After the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, Blinken said Israel had "the right – indeed, the obligation – to defend itself and to ensure that this never happens again."[9]

Blinken served as deputy secretary of state from 2015 to 2017 and as deputy national security advisor from 2013 to 2015 under the Obama administration. From 2009 to 2013, Blinken was the national security advisor to then-Vice-President Joe Biden (D). Blinken was also the Democratic staff director for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2002 to 2008. Biden chaired the committee from 2001 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2009.[10]

Biography

Blinken attended secondary school in Paris, receiving a French baccalauréat with high honors. He graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude and earned a J.D. from Columbia Law School. Prior to his government service, he worked as an attorney in New York and Paris.[11]

Blinken held several positions throughout the Clinton and Obama administrations, including assistant to the president, principal deputy national security adviser, and deputy secretary of state. He started his government service at the State Department. From 2002 to 2008, Blinken was the Democratic staff director for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[11]

He co-founded the political strategy firm WestExect Advisors with Michèle Flournoy, another Obama administration veteran.[12]

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Blinken's professional and political career:

  • 2021-Present: Secretary of state
  • 2017: Founded WestExec Advisors
  • 2015-2017: Deputy secretary of state
  • 2013-2015: Deputy national security advisor
  • 2009-2013: Deputy assistant to the president
  • 2002-2008: Democratic staff director, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  • 2001-2002: Senior fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies
  • 1994-2001: Member of the National Security Council in the Clinton administration
  • 1993-1994: Special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs, U.S. State Department

Nomination for secretary of state

See also: Joe Biden presidential transition and Confirmation process for Antony Blinken for secretary of state
Joe Biden's Cabinet
Candidate: Tony Blinken
Position: Secretary of State
ApprovedaAnnounced:November 23, 2020
ApprovedaHearing:January 19, 2021
ApprovedaCommittee:Foreign Relations
ApprovedaReported:Favorable (15-3)
ApprovedaConfirmed:January 26, 2021
ApprovedaVote:78-22

Biden selected Blinken as his nominee for secretary of state on November 23, 2020.[13]

During a press conference the following day, Biden said that Blinken "starts off with the kind of relationships around the world that many of his predecessors have had to build over the years. I know, I’ve seen him in action. Tony’s been one of my closest and most trusted advisors. I know him and his family, immigrants and refugees, a Holocaust survivor, who taught him to never take for granted the very idea of America as a place of possibilities. Possibilities. Tony is ready on day one."[14]

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held Blinken's confirmation hearing on January 19, 2021. The Senate confirmed Blinken on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78-22.[1]

Summary of Senate vote on Tony Blinken's nomination for secretary of state (January 26, 2021)
Party Votes for Votes against Not voting
Democratic Party Democrats 48 0 0
Republican Party Republicans 28 22 0
Grey.png Independents 2 0 0
Totals 78 22 0


Click on the following table to view the full roll call.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Tony Blinken. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Tony Blinken - Google News

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Anthony John Blinken, of New York, to be Secretary of State)," January 26, 2021
  2. ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Duties of the Secretary of State,” accessed January 18, 2024
  3. ↑ State Department, "Opening Remarks by Secretary of State-Designate Antony J. Blinken," January 19, 2021
  4. ↑ Reuters, "All signs suggest Russian on the Brink of Invading Ukraine," February 22, 2022
  5. ↑ IFW, "Ukraine Support Tracker," accessed January 30, 2024
  6. ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Secretary Antony J. Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Director Yang And State Councilor Wang At the Top of Their Meeting,” March 18, 2021
  7. ↑ U.S. Department of State, "Responding to the PRC’s Destabilizing and Irresponsible Behavior in Cyberspace," July 19, 2021
  8. ↑ U.S. Department of State, "U.S. Relations with Taiwan," May 28, 2022
  9. ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu After Their Meeting,” October 12, 2023
  10. ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Antony J. Blinken,” accessed January 26, 2024
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 U.S. Department of State, "Antony J. Blinken," accessed November 22, 2020
  12. ↑ The Washington Post, "Biden to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.N. ambassador," November 22, 2020
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NYT
  14. ↑ Rev.com, "Joe Biden Announcement Transcript November 24: Key Cabinet Picks," November 24, 2020

Political offices
Preceded by
Daniel B. Smith 		U.S. Secretary of State
2021-Present		 Succeeded by
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