Antony Blinken on stage during President- elect Joe Biden introduction of his cabinet member nominees at the Queen in Wilmington, DE on November 24, 2020.
The President- elect along with Vice President- elect Kamala D. Harris introduced Antony Blinken for Secretary of State, Alejandro Mayorkas for Secretary of Homeland Security, Avril Haines for Director of National Intelligence, Linda Thomas-Greenfield for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Jake Sullivan as National Security Adviser, and John Kerry as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
(Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
For Antony Blinken, America’s new top diplomat, returning to the U.S. Department of State brings the opportunity to continue both professional and family traditions.
Blinken, whom the U.S. Senate confirmed as secretary of state January 26, will lead the State Department, where he served during the Clinton and Obama administrations. His career in public service follows in the steps of his father and uncle, who served as U.S. ambassadors.
Blinken told a January 19 Senate hearing on his nomination to be the 71st U.S. secretary of state that he will work with international partners to tackle global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. He also hailed the United States’ ability to mobilize others for the greater good.
“For all that has changed, some things remain constant. American leadership still matters,” Blinken testified. But he added, “Not one of the big challenges we face can be met by one country acting alone — even one as powerful as the U.S.”
Blinken also called carrying on his family’s tradition of public service “a sacred duty.”
Blinken has said the experiences of his family members who fled persecution for the United States have informed his view of America’s role in the world.