November 24 President-elect Biden announced a series of cabinet members on the 23rd, including important positions in foreign policy and national security policy such as Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of National Intelligence and so on. Biden pointed out that the diverse background and perspective of these team members are the reason why they were appointed.
Biden reportedly nominated Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security. At the age of 61, Mayokas is Cuban-American and has served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense of the United States. He will be the first Latino in the history of the United States to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security.
Avril Haines, the former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was nominated as the director of national intelligence. Haynes, 51, also served as deputy national security adviser under former President Obama. She will also become the first female Director of National Intelligence in U.S. history.
Meanwhile, John Kerry, who served as Secretary of State under the Obama administration, was nominated as his Special Envoy on Climate. Kerry was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004. In addition to serving as Secretary of State, Kerry has also served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. He is not only rich in diplomatic experience, but also a supporter of the Paris Climate Agreement.
In addition to the above-mentioned personnel appointments, Biden also nominated Anthony Blinken to the post of Secretary of State. The 58-year-old Blinkinn held senior positions in the State Department and the National Security Council under former President Clinton, and served as a national security adviser to Biden’s previous vice president.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, 68, was nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. As a woman diplomat of African descent, she served as the U.S. Ambassador to Liberia from 2008 to 2012 and served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under the Obama administration.
Jake Sullivan, 44, was nominated as a national security adviser. Sullivan is an Iranian nuclear expert, who served as the director of the policy planning department of the U.S. Department of State and served as his national security adviser during Biden’s previous vice presidentship.
Biden said in a statement that there is no time to waste on U.S. national security and foreign policy. The team members appointed this time have rich imagination and innovative ability. They have rich experience in foreign affairs, have been tested by crises, and have made some achievements.
Biden stressed that the challenges of the new era cannot be met with old thinking and unchanged habits, and the diverse backgrounds and views of these team members are the reason for their appointment.
