Joe Biden announces Jewish aide Anthony Blinken as next secretary of state
President-elect's top diplomat will look to smooth over America's relations with traditional allies after four years of strained ties under Donald Trump
US President-elect Joe Biden has chosen a Jewish aide to be his top diplomat when he becomes Secretary of State in January.
Anthony Blinken, who was brought up in part by one of France’s most famous Holocaust survivors, will take the lead on foreign policy and seek to re-engage with traditional US allies after four years of strained relations.
The music-loving, football-playing Blinken is internationalist and experienced, having worked at the White House under Barack Obama. He has said US support to Saudi Arabia over Yemen has created a humanitarian disaster and describes Brexit as “a total mess”, echoing Biden’s concerns.
Blinken’s commitment to human rights comes from his esteemed stepfather, the French Holocaust survivor and lawyer Samuel Pisar, who survived Auschwitz and Dachau and later advised President John F Kennedy.
Although critical of Israeli settlement building, Blinken has been adamant that the Biden administration’s commitment to Israel’s security – including US military support – will not be made dependent on Israel’s policy decisions.
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