WASHINGTON – Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced Ambassador William J. Burns as his nominee for Director of the CIA. President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday that he has nominated former career diplomat William Burns to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Ambassador Burns is a career diplomat who served in the U.S. Foreign Service for 33 years and holds the highest rank in the service. "Like so many other features of the Trump era, the transition would bear little resemblance to any before, or any of the many I served through as a career diplomat. This story has been updated with additional background information. His selection would bypass other contenders with more formal experience in the intelligence field. President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. By Liza Hearon President-elect Joe Biden has named as his nominee for CIA director William J. Burns, a veteran diplomat with three decades of service among several administrations, Biden’s transition team said Monday. Before that he served as ambassador to Russia. Biden made the announcement on Monday. By Jeff Zeleny, Senior Washington Correspondent, Updated 1203 GMT (2003 HKT) January 11, 2021. We have to do better. Burns also has a long history at the center of Middle East peace negotiations and worked closely in the Obama administration on the Iran nuclear deal. Mr Burns led the Obama administration's negotiations with Iran to reach a landmark nuclear deal in 2015. President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. By Alex Marquardt and Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN. While all Biden nominees face an easier path to confirmation in a Democratic-controlled Senate, Burns' role in the Benghazi investigation could also be revisited. President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced his intent to nominate former Ambassador William Burns as CIA director, tapping a veteran diplomat to … Veteran diplomat William Burns, who played a critical role in brokering the Iran nuclear deal with world powers during the Obama administration, was nominated to head the CIA … Biden was drawn to Burns because of his diplomatic experience and his perceived ability to restore credibility to the intelligence agency in the post-Trump era, people familiar with the matter said, along with his expertise on Russia. If confirmed, Burns would become the first leader in the CIA's history whose lifelong experience comes from the State Department. ", Joe Biden set to nominate William Burns as CIA director, FBI director speaks publicly for first time since Capitol riots, Pence makes surprise visit to Capitol to thank National Guard, Biden: Real pain overwhelming the real economy, Watergate icon compares Trump and Nixon's final days in office, 'Fuming': How Trump is reacting to his second impeachment, 15 hours of chaos that led to Trump's impeachment, Former DHS official: You don't get a mulligan on insurrection, Mudd: Here are my 2 concerns with potential protests. Former Deputy CIA Director David Cohen is Joe Biden’s top choice to oversee the spy agency. The CIA director position is not expected to be a formal member of Biden's Cabinet, which represents a change from the Trump administration, but a return to the status it had in the Obama administration. A … He ended his tenure in 2017 by being awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA's highest honor. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Intelligence Committee, had criticized Morell as a "torture apologist" for his previous suggestions that "enhanced interrogation" of terrorists was effective and moral. The position does not require Senate confirmation. See historic moment House reaches enough votes to impeach Trump, Rep. Hoyer: Republicans I've talked to say this action is required, AOC on Capitol riots: Members were 'nearly assassinated', Sibling of GOP congressman says brother 'peddles in propaganda', What the Capitol looks like ahead of impeachment vote, 'Lapdog Lindsey': Lemon speaks on the evolution of Lindsey Graham, What you need to know about Biden's nominees, Biden says Trump skipping inauguration is 'a good thing', As Biden raises money for his virtual inauguration, lobbyists prepare for a scaled-down schmooze-fest. He has limited experience with China, but otherwise has a extensive portfolio of work in key regions around the globe. "The appointment of Burns would send an important signal about the revival of public service, which has been demeaned for the past four years, and for the importance of the entire intelligence community, not simply the CIA," Melvin Goodman, who served as a CIA analyst for three decades, wrote in a, "Much of CIA's difficulty over the past 40 years can be attributed to mediocre leadership. Biden chooses veteran diplomat Burns as CIA director FILE - This Jan. 21, 2014 file-pool photo shows Deputy Secretary of State William Burns talking in … Biden made the announcement on Monday. But Biden is said to favor Cohen, who served as CIA deputy director during the Obama administration. Former acting CIA director Michael Morell, who had been under consideration by Biden, was. (CNN)David Cohen, a deputy director of the CIA in the last years of the Obama administration, will return to the role, President-elect Joe Biden announced Friday. The CIA would be the major beneficiary of such an exemplary appointment to an institution that has become too insular and parochial. He would be the first career diplomat to serve as CIA Director. President-elect Joseph R. Biden on Monday announced William Burns as his pick for CIA director, turning to a career diplomat for his choice to lead … Cohen is currently a partner at the private law firm WilmerHale in Washington, DC, where he had practiced law before joining the Obama administration. President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday he has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. We owe it to our colleagues who lost their lives in Benghazi. (CNN) A key Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee is warning President-elect Joe Biden that he should avoid nominating a top contender for the job of CIA director, Mike Morell, … William Burns, a well-known figure in diplomatic circles around the world, is President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to lead the CIA, a selection likely to be embraced by the rank and file at the nation’s premier spy agency. He served as deputy secretary of State in the Obama administration after working for more than three decades in positions across the foreign service, which he joined in 1982. President-elect Joe Biden will nominate longtime diplomat William Burns to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the transition committee said in a news release. The costs of confusion, mixed signals, and bureaucratic turmoil could be very high.". President-elect Joe Biden on Friday will announce his plan to appoint David Cohen to be CIA deputy director, according to a transition official. President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. "Everyone always wanted to send their memos to Bill," Haines told the audience. Conservative panelists go head-to-head: Are you sorry you voted for Trump? President-elect Joe Biden early Monday announced former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as his nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency. While Burns was initially mentioned as a secretary of state nominee for Biden, one longtime CIA analyst made the case for his selection to lead the CIA in a blog post late last year. Joe Biden set to nominate William Burns as CIA director. Washington — President-elect Joe Biden has selected Ambassador William Burns, a career diplomat, as his nominee for director of the CIA, his … During his first stint as deputy CIA director, Cohen helped oversee the intelligence agency's strategic modernization and led foreign intelligence collection. Burns, 64, is a … Burns, who is respected by Democrats and Republicans alike in the foreign policy arena, is expected to receive far easier confirmation. President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate veteran diplomat William Burns to be the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. A former ambassador to Russia … By The Associated Press Updated January 11, 2021 5:28 PM WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday he has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to … A former ambassador to Russia and Jordan, Burns, 64, had a … "Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure," Biden said. Cohen served as the No. Biden chooses veteran diplomat Burns as CIA director President-elect Joe Biden has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director By MATTHEW LEE AP Diplomatic Writer January 11, 2021, 8:12 AM "He shares my profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving our nation deserve our gratitude and respect.". William J. Burns, President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to be CIA director, is pictured at a news conference on July 11, 2013, in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) ", The decision to select Burns to lead the CIA comes after other top contenders faced criticism for their previous support of torture programs. "The American people will sleep soundly with him as our next CIA Director," Biden said in a statement. President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday he will nominate William Burns, a career diplomat who has worked under five presidents from both … “The … President-elect Joe Biden has named William Burns as his CIA director, choosing a career diplomat to run the notoriously insular and parochial spy agency.. Burns spent 33 … He warned of the dangerous consequences of President Donald Trump not accepting election defeat in a prescient, "If he loses, I doubt that he will suddenly embrace the traditional bipartisan commitment to effective transitions. If confirmed, Burns would be the first leader of the CIA who had a lifelong career at the State Department. 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