WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Maine U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King on Tuesday voted to confirm Antony Blinken as the 71st secretary of state. Blinken, a longtime confidant of President Joe Biden, will be tasked with carrying out Biden’s commitment to reverse the Trump administration’s “America First” doctrine that weakened international alliances.
Blinken, 58, served as deputy secretary of state and deputy national security adviser during the Obama administration. He has pledged to be a leading force in the administration’s bid to reframe the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world after four years in which President Donald Trump questioned longtime alliances.
Blinken was confirmed by the Senate Tuesday in a 78-22 vote.
In a statement Tuesday, Collins, a Republican, said while she’s disagreed with Blinken on some important foreign policy issues, “he is clearly qualified to lead America’s State Department,” and said, “it is important for President Biden to have his national security and foreign policy team in place as soon as possible.”
“I look forward to working with Mr. Blinken on a number of important issues, such as confronting the challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party, protecting the United States’ security commitments to Israel, and ending the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen,” Collins continued. “I also share his commitment to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and I welcome his future engagement with Congress on addressing Iran’s ballistic missile threats and malign influence in the Middle East.”
King said over the last several years, some of America’s relationships with foreign allies and strategic partners have “unnecessarily frayed,” but says he believes Blinken “has the experience and the moral compass required for this delicate time, and will work as our nation’s top diplomat to change course where necessary and sustain progress where appropriate.”
“Throughout our nation’s history, America has drawn strength and gained influence from our allies and strategic partners. These bonds have bolstered America’s national security and made vital contributions to both our domestic interests and overall global stability,” King said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the last several years have seen some of those relationships unnecessarily frayed, key American commitments devalued, and some of our longtime friends forced to reexamine their faith in our country’s traditional role as a leader on the world stage. It’s time to reverse this dangerous trend, and I believe that Antony Blinken has the experience and the moral compass required for this delicate time, and will work as our nation’s top diplomat to change course where necessary and sustain progress where appropriate.”
“One of the great leaders of the 20th century, Winston Churchill, famously said, ‘there is only one thing worse than fighting with allies, and that is fighting without them.’ He was spot-on – which is why it’s past time to rebuild our bridges with our allies and partners where needed, so we can more effectively confront revisionist powers multilaterally and respond to transnational threats like cyber, nuclear proliferation and climate change,” King continued. “I look forward to working with Secretary Blinken as he prioritizes alliances and reinvigorates our place as a global leader that actively engages the world.”
“American leadership still matters,” Blinken told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at his Jan. 19 confirmation hearing. “The reality is, the world simply does not organize itself. When we’re not engaged, when we’re not leading, then one of two things is likely to happen. Either some other country tries to take our place, but not in a way that’s likely to advance our interests and values, or maybe just as bad, no one does and then you have chaos.”
Blinken vowed that the Biden administration would approach the world with both humility and confidence, saying “we have a great deal of work to do at home to enhance our standing abroad.”
Blinken is expected to start work on Wednesday after being sworn in, according to State Department officials.
