WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden began the transition and formal process of building his incoming administration this week. The New York Times named three leading candidates for Secretary of State.
The newspaper identified William Burns, Chris Coons, and Susan Rice as the frontrunners for the position.
William J. Burns is president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. A retired career diplomat, he served as US ambassador to both Russia and Jordan and held senior positions at the State Department under Secretaries Warren Christopher and Madeleine Albright. He has written on foreign policy for The Atlantic.
Chris Coons, a Democratic senator from Biden’s home state of Delaware, serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is one of Biden’s closest political allies. His collegiate relationships with Senate Republicans could prove an asset for the new administration’s legislative agenda, the Times noted.
Susan Rice served as national security adviser to President Barack Obama and was on Biden’s shortlist for vice-presidential running mate. She also served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and as US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, making her a well-known voice on multilateral diplomacy.
Under the Trump administration, Rex Tillerson served as Secretary of State before being replaced by Mike Pompeo, who currently holds the position.
