WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today on President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Antony Blinken, who held the number two job at the State Department during the Obama Administration, to be the next U.S. Secretary of State:

“Tony Blinken will be an outstanding Secretary of State who can restore coherence, coordination, and competence to the State Department. 

“I have travelled overseas with Tony to places like Afghanistan and Iraq and witnessed firsthand his unflappable diplomatic skill.  He is a true foreign policy expert and strategic thinker with a clear-eyed understanding of world affairs and national security.

“Tony’s leadership at State will be a force multiplier for U.S. diplomacy and projecting our core values.  He will reverse Trump’s steady decline in relationships with key allies and make America stronger.  He and President-elect Biden will help make America more secure and prosperous through effective international engagement.

“Tony has the experience, integrity, and temperament to be America’s top diplomat.  He is a consummate professional who is steeped in the issues.  The State Department is facing serious management, budgetary, and policy challenges and the next Secretary of State must clean up and repair the damage done by the Trump Administration.

“Our next Secretary of State must be someone who will sustain the rule of law and democratic norms, not subvert them.  While Donald Trump selected people he barely knew to be his Secretary of State, Tony has been by Joe Biden’s side for nearly two decades and not only has his trust and confidence, but they share the same worldview and will implement foreign policies that uphold American principles. 

“Tony Blinken will provide America with strong, pragmatic leadership on the world stage.  I commend President-elect Biden for making this selection and look forward to working with the incoming Administration to restore American leadership and advance our nation’s interests.”