Tony Blinken

Tony Blinken
18th United States Deputy Secretary of State
In office
January 9, 2015 – January 20, 2017
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Wendy Sherman (Acting)
Succeeded by John Sullivan
Deputy National Security Advisor
In office
January 20, 2013 – January 9, 2015
President Barack Obama
Preceded by Denis McDonough
Succeeded by Avril Haines
National Security Advisor to the Vice President of the United States
In office
January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2013
Vice President Joe Biden
Preceded by John P. Hannah
Succeeded by Jake Sullivan
Personal details
Born Antony John Blinken
(1962-04-16) April 16, 1962
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Evan Ryan
Alma mater Harvard University (BA)
Columbia University (JD)

Antony John Blinken (born April 16, 1962)[1][2][2] is a retired American government official who served as United States Deputy Secretary of State from 2015 to 2017 and Deputy National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2015 under President Barack Obama. He previously served as a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Democratic Staff Director of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (2002–2008), and a member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition, active from November 2008 to January 2009, among other positions.

From 2009 to 2013 Blinken served as Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President. From 2002 to 2008 he served as the Democratic Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. From 2001 to 2002 Blinken was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. During the Clinton Administration, Blinken served in the State Department and in senior positions on the National Security Council Staff.[3]

On November 7, 2014, President Obama announced that he would nominate Blinken for the Deputy Secretary post, replacing the retiring William Joseph Burns.[4] On December 16, 2014 Blinken was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State by the Senate by a vote of 55 to 38.[5] He is now a Global Affairs Analyst for CNN.[6]

Early life

Blinken was born to Jewish parents, Judith and Donald Blinken. He attended the Dalton School in New York City until 1971, when he moved to Paris, France, with his divorced mother and her new husband, lawyer Samuel Pisar, who had survived both the Auschwitz and Dachau camps in the Holocaust.[3]

He attended Harvard University, where he edited the daily student newspaper and co-edited the weekly art magazine. After earning his bachelor's degree, Blinken reported for The New Republic.[7] He earned his J.D. degree at Columbia Law School. After graduation, he practiced law in New York City and Paris.[7] During the 1988 presidential campaign, Blinken worked with his father in fundraisers for Michael Dukakis.[3]

Career

Blinken, standing in blue shirt in back of room, during the Osama Bin Laden raid

Blinken has held senior foreign policy positions in two administrations over two decades. He served on the United States National Security Council staff at the White House from 1994 to 2001.[8] From 1994 through 1998 Blinken was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Strategic Planning and NSC Senior Director for Speechwriting.[8] From 1999 to 2001 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Canadian Affairs.[9]

In 2002 Blinken was appointed Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a position he served in until 2008.[8] He was also a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2008, Blinken worked for the presidential campaign of Senator Joseph Biden,[3] and was a member of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition team.[8][10]

From 2009 to 2013 he served as Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor to the Vice President. In this position he also helped craft U.S. policy on Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Iranian nuclear program.[11][12]

He is the author of Ally Versus Ally: America, Europe and the Siberian Pipeline Crisis (Praeger, 1987).[3][8]

Personal life

Blinken, who is Jewish,[3] married Evan Ryan in a bi-denominational ceremony officiated by a rabbi and priest at Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Washington, D.C.).[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Antony Blinken steps into the spotlight with Obama administration role". Washington Post. September 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Antony "Tony" Blinken". Jewish Virtual Library. 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Horowitz, Jason (September 20, 2013). "Antony Blinken steps into the spotlight with Obama administration role". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "Obama nominates his adviser Tony Blinken as Deputy Secretary of State". Reuters. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ Senate vote to confirm
  6. ↑ "Tony Blinken - Spring 2017 Resident Fellow". Institute of Politics, The University of Chicago. 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  7. 1 2 Antony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor Archived 2015-02-14 at the Wayback Machine., Sara Sorcher, National Journal, July 17, 2013
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "President Obama Nominates Antony Blinken for Deputy Secretary of State". Foreign Policy News. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Robert Gallucci (2009). Instruments and Institutions of American Purpose. United States: Aspen Institute. p. 112. ISBN 9780898435016. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  10. ↑ Gabe LaMonica (17 December 2014). "Blinken confirmed by Senate as Kerry's deputy at State". CNN. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Senate Confirms Antony "Tony" Blinken '88 as Secretary of State". Columbia Law. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  12. ↑ David E. Sanger (7 November 2014). "Obama Makes His Choice for No. 2 Post at State Department". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "WEDDINGS; Evan Ryan, Antony Blinken". The New York Times. March 3, 2002. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
Political offices
Preceded by
Wendy Sherman
Acting		 United States Deputy Secretary of State
2015–2017		 Succeeded by
John Sullivan
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