President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday (Jan. 11) the nomination of former U.S. Ambassador and former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Burns is currently the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and previously worked in the U.S. Foreign Service for 33 years. He has served as deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration and as U.S. ambassador to Russia and Jordan, among other positions.
Burns reportedly led secret negotiations to negotiate and pave the way for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during former President Barack Obama’s presidency.
“Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage maintaining the safety and security of our people and our nation,” Biden said in announcing the nominee for CIA director.
“Ambassador Burns will bring the knowledge, judgment and perspective we need to prevent and respond to threats before they come.” Biden said.
“Ambassador Burns is a national security expert with decades of experience serving under both Democratic and Republican presidents, and he has a deep understanding of the global threats and challenges facing our nation.” Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said in a statement.
Burns holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in international relations from Oxford University. If confirmed, Burns would replace current CIA Director Gina Haspel. Haspel has held the position since 2018.
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