Tony Blinken
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Antony Blinken
Prior offices
U.S. Secretary of State
Antony "Tony" J. Blinken was the U.S. secretary of state in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2025. 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:
- 2021-2025: 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 | ||
 | Announced: | November 23, 2020 |
| Hearing: | January 19, 2021 |
| Committee: | Foreign Relations |
| Reported: | Favorable (15-3) |
| Confirmed: | January 26, 2021 |
| Vote: | 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 |
 Democrats |
48 | 0 | 0 |
 Republicans |
28 | 22 | 0 |
 Independents |
2 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 78 | 22 | 0 |
Click on the following table to view the full roll call.
| Senate vote on Antony Blinken's nomination for secretary of state (January 26, 2021) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Richard Shelby | Republican |
No |
| Alabama | Tommy Tuberville | Republican |
No |
| Alaska | Lisa Murkowski | Republican |
Yes |
| Alaska | Dan Sullivan | Republican |
Yes |
| Arizona | Kyrsten Sinema | Democrat |
Yes |
| Arizona | Mark Kelly | Democrat |
Yes |
| Arkansas | John Boozman | Republican |
No |
| Arkansas | Tom Cotton | Republican |
No |
| California | Dianne Feinstein | Democrat |
Yes |
| California | Alex Padilla | Democrat |
Yes |
| Colorado | Michael F. Bennet | Democrat |
Yes |
| Colorado | John Hickenlooper | Democrat |
Yes |
| Connecticut | Richard Blumenthal | Democrat |
Yes |
| Connecticut | Chris Murphy | Democrat |
Yes |
| Delaware | Tom Carper | Democrat |
Yes |
| Delaware | Chris Coons | Democrat |
Yes |
| Florida | Rick Scott | Republican |
No |
| Florida | Marco Rubio | Republican |
Yes |
| Georgia | Jon Ossoff | Democrat |
Yes |
| Georgia | Raphael Warnock | Democrat |
Yes |
| Hawaii | Mazie Hirono | Democrat |
Yes |
| Hawaii | Brian Schatz | Democrat |
Yes |
| Idaho | Mike Crapo | Republican |
Yes |
| Idaho | James E. Risch | Republican |
Yes |
| Illinois | Dick Durbin | Democrat |
Yes |
| Illinois | Tammy Duckworth | Democrat |
Yes |
| Indiana | Mike Braun | Republican |
No |
| Indiana | Todd Young | Republican |
Yes |
| Iowa | Chuck Grassley | Republican |
Yes |
| Iowa | Joni Ernst | Republican |
No |
| Kansas | Roger Marshall | Republican |
No |
| Kansas | Jerry Moran | Republican |
Yes |
| Kentucky | Mitch McConnell | Republican |
Yes |
| Kentucky | Rand Paul | Republican |
No |
| Louisiana | Bill Cassidy | Republican |
No |
| Louisiana | John Kennedy | Republican |
No |
| Maine | Susan Collins | Republican |
Yes |
| Maine | Angus King | Independent |
Yes |
| Maryland | Benjamin L. Cardin | Democrat |
Yes |
| Maryland | Chris Van Hollen | Democrat |
Yes |
| Massachusetts | Elizabeth Warren | Democrat |
Yes |
| Massachusetts | Ed Markey | Democrat |
Yes |
| Michigan | Debbie Stabenow | Democrat |
Yes |
| Michigan | Gary Peters | Democrat |
Yes |
| Minnesota | Amy Klobuchar | Democrat |
Yes |
| Minnesota | Tina Smith | Democrat |
Yes |
| Mississippi | Roger Wicker | Republican |
Yes |
| Mississippi | Cindy Hyde-Smith | Republican |
Yes |
| Missouri | Josh Hawley | Republican |
No |
| Missouri | Roy Blunt | Republican |
Yes |
| Montana | Steve Daines | Republican |
No |
| Montana | Jon Tester | Democrat |
Yes |
| Nebraska | Deb Fischer | Republican |
Yes |
| Nebraska | Ben Sasse | Republican |
Yes |
| Nevada | Jacky Rosen | Democrat |
Yes |
| Nevada | Catherine Cortez Masto | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Hampshire | Jeanne Shaheen | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Hampshire | Maggie Hassan | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Jersey | Robert Menendez | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Jersey | Cory Booker | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Mexico | Ben Ray Luján | Democrat |
Yes |
| New Mexico | Martin Heinrich | Democrat |
Yes |
| New York | Charles E. Schumer | Democrat |
Yes |
| New York | Kirsten Gillibrand | Democrat |
Yes |
| North Carolina | Richard Burr | Republican |
Yes |
| North Carolina | Thom Tillis | Republican |
Yes |
| North Dakota | John Hoeven | Republican |
No |
| North Dakota | Kevin Cramer | Republican |
No |
| Ohio | Rob Portman | Republican |
Yes |
| Ohio | Sherrod Brown | Democrat |
Yes |
| Oklahoma | James M. Inhofe | Republican |
Yes |
| Oklahoma | James Lankford | Republican |
No |
| Oregon | Ron Wyden | Democrat |
Yes |
| Oregon | Jeff Merkley | Democrat |
Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Pat Toomey | Republican |
Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Robert P. Casey | Democrat |
Yes |
| Rhode Island | Jack Reed | Democrat |
Yes |
| Rhode Island | Sheldon Whitehouse | Democrat |
Yes |
| South Carolina | Lindsey Graham | Republican |
Yes |
| South Carolina | Tim Scott | Republican |
No |
| South Dakota | John Thune | Republican |
Yes |
| South Dakota | Mike Rounds | Republican |
Yes |
| Tennessee | Bill Hagerty | Republican |
Yes |
| Tennessee | Marsha Blackburn | Republican |
No |
| Texas | John Cornyn | Republican |
Yes |
| Texas | Ted Cruz | Republican |
No |
| Utah | Mitt Romney | Republican |
Yes |
| Utah | Mike Lee | Republican |
No |
| Vermont | Patrick Leahy | Democrat |
Yes |
| Vermont | Bernie Sanders | Independent |
Yes |
| Virginia | Mark R. Warner | Democrat |
Yes |
| Virginia | Tim Kaine | Democrat |
Yes |
| Washington | Maria Cantwell | Democrat |
Yes |
| Washington | Patty Murray | Democrat |
Yes |
| West Virginia | Shelley Moore Capito | Republican |
Yes |
| West Virginia | Joe Manchin | Democrat |
Yes |
| Wisconsin | Ron Johnson | Republican |
Yes |
| Wisconsin | Tammy Baldwin | Democrat |
Yes |
| Wyoming | John Barrasso | Republican |
No |
| Wyoming | Cynthia Lummis | Republican |
No |
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Anthony John Blinken, of New York, to be Secretary of State)," January 26, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Duties of the Secretary of State,” accessed January 18, 2024
- ↑ State Department, "Opening Remarks by Secretary of State-Designate Antony J. Blinken," January 19, 2021
- ↑ Reuters, "All signs suggest Russian on the Brink of Invading Ukraine," February 22, 2022
- ↑ IFW, "Ukraine Support Tracker," accessed January 30, 2024
- ↑ 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
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, "Responding to the PRC’s Destabilizing and Irresponsible Behavior in Cyberspace," July 19, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, "U.S. Relations with Taiwan," May 28, 2022
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu After Their Meeting,” October 12, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, “Antony J. Blinken,” accessed January 26, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 U.S. Department of State, "Antony J. Blinken," accessed November 22, 2020
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Biden to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.N. ambassador," November 22, 2020
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedNYT - ↑ Rev.com, "Joe Biden Announcement Transcript November 24: Key Cabinet Picks," November 24, 2020
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