Biden will nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of State

President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate longtime adviser and veteran foreign policy hand Antony Blinken to serve as his secretary of State, while picking another confidant, Jake Sullivan, for the role of national security adviser, according to three people familiar with the issue.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a veteran diplomat, will be nominated to serve as Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, according to two people familiar with the nomination discussions.

The choices would put three highly experienced officials at the helm of U.S. foreign policy. Even some notable conservative voices praised the three choices Sunday evening as news of their selection broke.

Blinken, 58, is considered a moderate who is well regarded by foreign diplomats and can pass muster with Republicans in the Senate, where he will have to seek confirmation. At the same time, he’s served as an intermediary for Biden and members of the progressive community, engaging the latter on their demands for what a Biden foreign policy will look like.

As the virus rages across the country, schools are shutting down again — or remain shuttered — even though they haven't turned out to be the super-spreader sites experts feared. At the same time, many bars and restaurants remain open for business. POLITICO's Nirvi Shah explains how the situation is reigniting a heated debate over pandemic priorities. Plus, the CDC recommends travelers get tested before and after international flights.

Bloomberg first reported that Biden would tap Blinken as secretary of State.

Blinken’s bio reads like he was bred for a life in the diplomatic realm. He attended high school in Paris, earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard and later picked up a law degree from Columbia. Blinken’s father, Donald, also a Harvard graduate, was an investment banker who served as a U.S. ambassador to Hungary.