Tag Archives: Antony Blinken

World

Biden pauses Trump policies as Blinken takes diplomatic helm

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Wednesday paused or put under review a wide swath of Trump-era foreign policies as America’s new top diplomat took the helm of the State Department.

The administration placed at least temporarily holds on several big-ticket arms sales to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, while newly installed Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he is looking urgently at a terrorism designation against Yemen’s Houthi rebels that his predecessor enacted shortly before leaving office.

On his first full day on the job, Blinken said the administration has initiated a comprehensive review of the U.S. relationship with Russia and is examining details of a U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed nearly a year ago. He said the administration had, however, asked Trump’s special envoy for Afghanistan, former ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, to remain on the job for continuity’s sake.

Speaking to reporters just hours after his ceremonial but coronavirus-limited entrance into the State Department’s main lobby, Blinken also said the administration is willing to return to commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which former President Donald Trump withdrew from, but only if Iran returns to full compliance with the accord.

In his remarks to a demoralized diplomatic corps that was often denigrated or ignored over the past four years, Blinken vowed to rebuild the ranks of the foreign service and rely on its expertise as the Biden administration tries to restore U.S. global standing. He said the world is watching how America pursues foreign policy after Trump’s “America First” doctrine that alienated many U.S. allies.

Blinken spoke on Wednesday to the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Israel, following calls late Tuesday to his counterparts in Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea.

Appearing in the press briefing room, which had been rarely used during the Trump administration, Blinken pledged to respect and be accessible to journalists and to restore the State Department’s daily press briefings beginning next week.

On policy matters, Blinken said he was particularly concerned by the “foreign terrorist organization” designation for the Iran-backed Houthis that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced just 10 days before the end of the Trump administration. Many fear that move, which comes with strict U.S. sanctions, will unnecessarily exacerbate what is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Of all the steps that Trump and Pompeo took in their waning days “that’s the priority in my book,” Blinken said of the designation. “We’re taking a very urgent and a very close look at that.” The Treasury Department has already moved to suspend some of the sanctions affiliated with the designation, but aid groups say that mass famine could result if they are not all lifted.

The pause in the arms sales to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which were announced just days after the Nov. 6 election that Trump lost to now-President Joe Biden, is also related to Yemen. Critics fear the two Arab nations may use advanced U.S. weaponry to continue the Saudi-led war in Yemen with a significant risk of civilian casualties. The department billed the temporary suspension, which includes a halt to a $23 billion transfer of stealth F-35 fighters to the UAE, as “a routine administrative action” for a new administration.

Blinken said the sales are under review to determine if they meet U.S. national security objectives.

On Afghanistan, Blinken said the Biden administration wanted to take a detailed look at the February 2020 peace deal negotiated between the Trump administration and the Taliban to try to extricate U.S. troops from the country after nearly 20 years of war. “We need to understand exactly what is in the agreement” before deciding how to proceed, he said. Khalilzad, the chief U.S. negotiator, has been asked to remain on the job so he can “continue the vital work he is performing.”

On Iran, Blinken repeated comments Biden has made previously and that he himself made to lawmakers at his confirmation hearing just last week. Blinken said the administration is prepared to ease sanctions that the Trump administration re-imposed on Iran as long as Iran returns to full compliance with the 2015 deal. At that point, Blinken said the administration would look to strengthen and lengthen the terms of the accord. But, he said, “we’re a long way from that point.”

Biden has vowed to reverse Trump’s approach, which had alienated many traditional U.S. allies who perceived it as a hardline unilateral approach that left no room for negotiation. Blinken said that after four years, the United States would again engage with allies on a reciprocal, rather than a purely transactional, basis.

“The world is watching us intently right now,” Blinken said. “They want to know if we can heal our nation. They want to see whether we will lead with the power of our example and if we will put a premium on diplomacy with our allies and partners to meet the great challenges of our time — like the pandemic, climate change, the economic crisis, threats to democracies, fights for racial justice and the danger to our security and global stability posed by our rivals and adversaries.”

Blinken, a 58-year-old longtime Biden confidant, was confirmed to be the 71st secretary of state by the Senate on Tuesday in a 78-22 vote. The position is the most senior Cabinet post, with the secretary fourth in the line of presidential succession. A former deputy secretary of state in the Obama administration, Blinken pledged that U.S. global leadership is back and that the State Department will be “central” to that..

Blinken inherited a deeply demoralized and depleted career workforce at the State Department. Neither of his two immediate predecessors under Trump, Rex Tillerson or Pompeo, offered strong resistance to repeated attempts to gut the agency. Those were thwarted only by congressional intervention.

Blinken said he would promote and protect the foreign service, which had been sidelined during the Trump era, and that after four years of atrophy the State Department will once again play a leading role in America’s relations with the world.

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World

Biden must wait weekend for State Department pick

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President Biden’s promise to bring the U.S. back to the global stage is being delayed — at least by a few days — in the Senate, where his nominee for secretary of State, Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenState Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization Overnight Defense: Austin takes helm at Pentagon | COVID-19 briefing part of Day 1 agenda | Outrage over images of National Guard troops in parking garage Senate confirms Austin to lead Pentagon under Biden MORE, is in confirmation limbo.

Some Senate Democrats have criticized the delay, arguing the Senate should already have had a vote on his confirmation.

“The secretary of State is fourth in the line of succession. Leaving that office vacant is irresponsible,” Sen. Robert MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSenate presses Biden’s pick for secretary of State on Iran, China, Russia and Yemen Year-end deal creates American Latino, women’s history museums Lawmakers call for including creation of Latino, women’s history museums in year-end spending deal MORE (D-N.J.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in floor remarks on Thursday.

The White House on Friday appeared to downplay the delay while thanking the Senate for confirming Biden’s pick for the Pentagon.

“I know that our Secretary of State is just about to get confirmed, or so Sen. [Mitch] McConnell [R-Ky.] tells us,” White House press secretary Jen PsakiJen PsakiBiden under pressure to deliver more COVID-19 shots Biden, Trudeau agree to meet next month Democrats seek answers on impact of Russian cyberattack on Justice Department, Courts MORE said.

It’s been a chaotic few weeks in the Senate, where the power shifted Wednesday when three new Democratic senators were sworn in — including the two who won runoff elections in Georgia earlier this month — along with Vice President Harris.

Harris will cast the tie-breaking vote in the 50-50 Senate, giving Democrats the majority.

But Democrats and Republicans have not agreed on organization rules for the Senate, meaning Republicans still have majorities on some committees.

Battles over the election also contributed to a slow pace on nominations.

The Senate did confirm Biden’s pick as his director of national intelligence, Avril HainesAvril HainesBiden DHS, Intel picks stress need to prioritize cybersecurity after SolarWinds hack Biden Intel chief nominee Avril Haines pledges public report on QAnon threat Former Trump intel chief Coats introduces Biden nominee Haines at hearing MORE, on Thursday. On Friday, it confirmed Secretary of Defense Lloyd AustinLloyd AustinTrump impeachment trial to begin week of Feb. 8 Trump DHS chief argues for swift confirmation of Biden pick amid Hawley hold Overnight Defense: Austin takes helm at Pentagon | COVID-19 briefing part of Day 1 agenda | Outrage over images of National Guard troops in parking garage MORE.

Blinken could be confirmed early next week, and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) said there should be a strong bipartisan interest in confirming him.

Monday is the earliest a confirmation vote can happen, according to a Republican Senate aide, who said Risch is working to achieve unanimous consent from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to allow the confirmation vote to proceed.

If unanimous consent is not reached, the full committee would vote Monday evening on whether to send Blinken’s confirmation to the Senate floor for a vote. 

Another reason Blinken’s nomination has been delayed is that committee members are working to review his answers to at least 780 questions submitted by lawmakers. Blinken also took part in a nearly five-hour hearing on Tuesday.

In comparison, 550 written questions were submitted to former President TrumpDonald TrumpMcCarthy says he told Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene he disagreed with her impeachment articles against Biden Biden, Trudeau agree to meet next month Trump planned to oust acting AG to overturn Georgia election results: report MORE’s last secretary of State, Mike PompeoMike PompeoState Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization VOA reinstates White House reporter reassigned after questioning Pompeo Jilani: China ‘sending clear message’ to Biden officials with sanctions that opposition could lead to ‘future pay cut’ MORE. Trump’s first nominee, Rex TillersonRex Wayne TillersonTillerson: ‘We squandered the best opportunity we had on North Korea’ State Department sets up new bureau for cybersecurity and emerging technologies Lawmakers express concern about lack of young people in federal workforce MORE, was given 715.

Secretaries of State John KerryJohn KerryParis Agreement: Biden’s chance to restore international standing Kerry promises Europeans Biden will seek to make up time on climate action OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden recommits US to Paris climate accord | Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing | Interior secretary rescinds wilderness protection order before leaving office MORE and Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonTexas Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones request to toss lawsuits from Sandy Hook parents Paris Agreement: Biden’s chance to restore international standing Samantha Power’s Herculean task: Turning a screw with a rubber screwdriver MORE, who both served in the Obama administration, had to answer 291 and 498 questions, respectively. 

The Republican aide defended the number of questions.

“The chairman does not like to ask questions just to ask questions, they were all substantive, at least the questions that we submitted,” the aide said.

The aide added that the committee is on pace to move Blinken’s nomination faster than Tillerson’s. He was confirmed nearly three weeks after his marathon hearing before the committee. 

“Risch supports unprecedented actions, including a [unanimous consent] agreement that would bypass regular order of the committee,” the Republican aide said of Blinken’s confirmation. 

Absent a confirmed secretary, the State Department is being run by director of the Foreign Service Institute Daniel Smith.

James Dobbins, a senior fellow with the RAND Corporation and who has served as assistant secretary of state for Europe, said the delay on Blinken’s confirmation vote is not “extraordinary at this point, but if it lingered for a few more days, it would become unusual.” 

“The secretary of State is the face of American diplomacy and the person to whom the people who are responsible for the diplomacy of other countries turn to,” he said.

“I think it delays the normalization of relations between the United States and its allies. Also it can delay dealing with, probably not the most urgent problems, but pressing problems with adversaries and other countries as well,” he added.  

Foreign diplomats are eager to engage with Blinken, the Biden administration and their senior staff, after months of a strict no-contact policy between the transition team and foreign governments.

“Obviously there’s a little bit of excitement in capitals, and people wanting to talk to people, and it further delays that,” said one European diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous to speak candidly. 

“It is what it is – it’s just another few days, after a couple of months of not being able to engage with the President of the United States team.”

Despite not having his full team in place, Biden is pushing forward on signing a stack of executive orders that include reversing foreign policy actions by the Trump administration.

This includes rejoining the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement, steps welcomed by U.S. allies.

“WHO is a family of nations and we are all glad that the United States is staying in the family,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization said during the first meeting with Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care — Fauci: Lack of facts ‘likely’ cost lives in coronavirus fight | CDC changes COVID-19 vaccine guidance to allow rare mixing of Pfizer, Moderna shots | Senate chaos threatens to slow Biden’s agenda Fauci infuriated by threats to family Poll: Plurality of voters say coronavirus vaccine rollout slower than expected MORE, Biden’s envoy to the WHO. 

Biden is relying on his national security council to engage with close U.S. allies over pressing issues related to Russia, North Korea, Iran and China.

Jake SullivanJake SullivanWhite House: It will be ‘a bit of time’ before Biden’s first foreign trip Biden national security adviser holds introductory calls with foreign counterparts Biden to nix border wall, ‘Muslim ban’ on first day in office MORE, Biden’s national security adviser, held separate introductory calls with senior national security officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom discussing issues related to China, Iran and Russia.

Sullivan also held a call with the secretary general of Japan’s national security secretariat. Their conversation focused on challenges from COVID-19, China and North Korea. 

One of the most urgent matters that Blinken is expected to address if confirmed is working with Congress to extend the New START nuclear treaty with Russia. It expires Feb. 5. 

The treaty imposes limits on each country’s nuclear weapons arsenal and allows for inspections on both sides to verify compliance. 

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday that the president wants to extend the treaty for five years, an announcement that Russia welcomed. 

Blinken, in his confirmation hearing, noted the treaty as one of the first orders of business he would come to the Senate to work on extending. 

“What I can tell you is that I know we will be coming to you very quickly, almost immediately to discuss that,” he said.

 



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World

State Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization

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The State Department said Friday it will review an eleventh-hour decision by the Trump administration to label the Houthi rebels in Yemen a foreign terrorist organization.

The quick decision to launch a review of the last-minute move under then-Secretary of State Mike PompeoMike PompeoState Dept. to review Trump admin’s decision to label Houthis a terrorist organization VOA reinstates White House reporter reassigned after questioning Pompeo Jilani: China ‘sending clear message’ to Biden officials with sanctions that opposition could lead to ‘future pay cut’ MORE comes after critics said the designation could exacerbate a dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen by hindering the distribution of aid in areas the Houthis control.

“Ansarallah, sometimes known as the Houthis, bears significant responsibility for the humanitarian catastrophe and insecurity in Yemen. We strongly believe that Ansarallah needs to change its behavior,” a State Department spokesperson told The Hill. 

“At the same time, we must also ensure that we are not impeding the provision of humanitarian assistance. As noted by Secretary-Designate Blinken, the State Department has initiated a review of Ansarallah’s terrorist designations,” the spokesperson added, referring to Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenNew Israeli envoy arrives in Washington, turning page on Trump era What Biden’s Cabinet picks mean for the hardest-hit US industry The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden takes office, calls for end to ‘uncivil war’ MORE, President Biden’s pick to helm the State Department.  

Incoming Biden administration officials had sounded the alarm about the designation and indicated that the Trump-era move could be reversed soon after inauguration.

Blinken, who the Biden administration hopes will be confirmed in the coming days, told senators during his confirmation hearing this week that he would push to review the designation “immediately.”

He said his “deep concern about the designation that was made is that at least on its surface it seems to achieve nothing particularly practical in advancing the efforts against the Houthis and to bring them back to the negotiating table, while making it even more difficult than it already is to provide humanitarian assistance to people who desperately need it.”

The State Department spokesperson told The Hill that it will “not publicly discuss or comment on internal deliberations regarding that review; however, with the humanitarian crisis in Yemen we are working as fast as we can to conduct the review and make a determination.” 

Yemen’s years-long civil war between the Houthis, which have ties to Iran, and the government backed by Saudi Arabia — a key U.S. ally — has plunged the country into one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. Thousands of civilians have been killed in the fighting, and a famine has spread across all corners of the country.

Pompeo instituted the designation on his way out of office in a signal of the U.S.’s support for the operations against the Houthis. However, health experts warned that the label could impede the delivery of aid to civilians in Houthi-held areas by humanitarian groups who would cut back help to avoid running afoul of the sanctions.

Pompeo said in his announcement that the United States was “planning to put in place measures to reduce their impact on certain humanitarian activity and imports into Yemen.”

“We have expressed our readiness to work with relevant officials at the United Nations, with international and non-governmental organizations, and other international donors to address these implications,” he said, though criticism continued.

“This is coming at the absolute most difficult time when over 16 million Yemeni women, children and men are living in severe and worsening food insecurity,” Michelle Nunn, CEO of CARE USA, an international nongovernmental organization focusing on combating global poverty and world hunger, told The Hill this week.

“This particular designation is tantamount to a cease-and-desist order for the humanitarian response in northern Yemen and its impacts will lead to more despair and lives lost across the whole of the country.”

Blinken told senators Tuesday that Biden plans on ending U.S. support for the Saudi offensive in Yemen, chiefly over humanitarian concerns.

“The president-elect has made clear that we will end our support for the military campaign led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen,” he said.

“But I want [to] make clear, I think we have to be in close contact with Saudi Arabia, with our partner there. We need to be very clear about what we are doing, why we are doing something and talk it through,” he added. “But the main point is that for reasons that we have discussed we believe that continuing that support is not the national interest.”



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