Joe Biden Picks Antony Blinken for Secretary of State

Antony Blinken served as top foreign-policy adviser during the Obama administration.

Antony Blinken is set to be named as Joe Biden’s secretary of State. Picture: AFP

President-elect Joe Biden intends to nominate Antony Blinken to serve as secretary of State, turning to a trusted diplomat and foreign-policy adviser to oversee his work to rebuild U.S. relationships around the globe, according to people familiar with the decision.

Mr. Blinken served as Mr. Biden’s top foreign-policy adviser during his presidential campaign after roles as deputy secretary of state during President Obama’s second term and as national security adviser to Mr. Biden while he served as vice president.

The announcement of Mr. Blinken’s selection is expected by Tuesday at the latest, people familiar with the selection said. Mr. Biden said last week that he had also settled on a pick for Treasury secretary.

Mr. Blinken’s ties to Mr. Biden date back nearly two decades, beginning when he served as staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while Mr. Biden served as a U.S. senator representing Delaware. Mr. Blinken also worked on Mr. Biden’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Mr. Blinken, who is 58-years-old, has made clear that dealing with the coronavirus pandemic will be the first priority for the Biden administration.

“There is an urgent leadership requirement internationally with regard to Covid-19,” Mr. Blinken said in a recent interview. “The first thing we have to deal with, domestically as well as internationally, is working to get out from under the Covid[-19] rock.”

During his campaign, Mr. Biden assailed President Trump’s handling of international relations, accusing him of failing to maintain alliances and creating tensions across the globe.

Mr. Blinken supports Mr. Biden’s emphasis on the need to recommit the U.S. to global alliances and international accords that Mr. Trump has quit or criticized.

“If we’re not in the game, then it’s likely that it’s going to get even more problematic,” Mr. Blinken said before the election. “You’re much more likely to be effective if you’re actually inside — you don’t have much standing if you’re outside, and you’ve ceded your influence.”

Mr. Biden plans to maintain a tough stance toward China, but with an approach that relies more on pressure from U.S. allies, sanctions and other tools to shape Beijing’s behavior, according to Biden advisers and China experts.

Mr. Blinken has said that Mr. Biden is concerned about China using technology to advance state control, rather than empower citizens.

“As the vice president sees it, there’s a division in the world between techno-democracies and techno-autocracies,” Mr. Blinken said before the election.

Mr. Blinken said recently on Twitter that “stronger economic ties with Taiwan also support our shared democratic values, and our common commitment to regional peace and stability.” Few issues rile Beijing more than U.S. support for Taiwan.

Control of the Senate in the next Congress has yet to be determined. If Democrats win both Georgia runoff contests in January, they can take the majority with a 50-50 split and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to break the tie. Otherwise Republicans will control the chamber, and Mr. Biden would need at least a Republican or two to vote for his cabinet picks to get them confirmed.

Former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice was also seen as a leading contender for secretary of state. Mr. Biden similarly considered Ms. Rice for vice president before selecting Ms. Harris for the position.

WSJ