Sec. of State Antony Blinken is the Perfect Fit for Global Diplomacy

“I am honored to be your secretary,” Blinken told State Department staff members on his first day as Secretary: “Now let’s get to work.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks to employees at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on January 27, 2021. [State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

True to his inaugural address about restoring national unity, President Joe Biden’s recently-confirmed candidate for U.S. Secretary of State is an ideal choice to strike a moderate tone, appealing to both progressives and conservatives.

Antony Blinken, a longtime diplomat and former Deputy Secretary of State under President Obama, was easily confirmed by the Senate with a strong showing of bipartisan support, 78–22.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is sworn in as the 71st U.S. Secretary of State by Acting Under Secretary of State for Management Carol Z. Perez at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on January 26, 2021. [State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

Antony Blinken was sworn in on Tuesday, January 26, and began his tenure as the 71st U.S. Secretary of State in a manner that was quintessentially diplomatic: Soothing potential internal strife within the State Department, repairing State Department relations with the press corps, and reassuring U.S. allies and adversaries that American leadership is back.

A natural and gifted ambassador, Blinken wasted no time during his first full day at the head of the U.S. Department of State.