Blinken attended theDalton School in New York City until 1971.[6] He then moved to Paris with his mother andSamuel Pisar; his mother married Pisar after divorcing Donald Blinken. In his confirmation hearing, Blinken recalled the story of his stepfather, Pisar, who had been the onlyHolocaust survivor of the 900 children in his school in Poland. Pisar found refuge in a U.S. tank after making a break into the forest during aNazi death march.[13][14] In Paris, Blinken attendedÉcole Jeannine Manuel.[15]
Blinken has held senior foreign policy positions in two administrations over two decades.[5] He was a member of theUnited States National Security Council staff from 1994 to 2001.[25] From 1994 to 1998, Blinken was special assistant to the president and senior director for strategic planning and National Security Council senior director for speechwriting.[26] From 1999 to 2001, he was special assistant to the president and senior director for European and Canadian affairs.[27]
In 2002, Blinken was appointed staff director for theSenate Foreign Relations Committee, a position he served in until 2008.[25] Blinken assisted then-Senator Joe Biden, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in formulating Biden's support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq, with Blinken characterizing the vote to invade Iraq as "a vote for tough diplomacy".[28] Blinken supported the U.S.-ledinvasion of Iraq in 2003.[2][29]
In the years following the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, Blinken assisted Biden in formulating a proposal in the Senate to establish in Iraq three independent regions divided along ethnic or sectarian lines: a "Shiastan" in the south, a "Sunnistan" in the north, as well asIraqi Kurdistan. The proposal was overwhelmingly rejected at home, as well as in Iraq, where the prime minister opposed the partition plan.[30]
On November 7, 2014, President Obama announced that he would nominate Blinken for the deputy secretary post, replacing the retiringWilliam J. Burns.[33] On December 16, 2014, Blinken was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State by the Senate by a vote of 55 to 38.[34]
Blinken worked with Biden on requests for American money to replenish Israel's arsenal ofIron Dome interceptor missiles during the2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.[43] In May 2015, Blinken criticized thepersecution of Muslims in Myanmar and warned Myanmar's leaders about the dangers of anti-Muslim legislation,[44] saying thatRohingya Muslims "should have a path to citizenship. The uncertainty that comes from not having any status is one of the things that may drive people to leave."[45]
In June 2015, Blinken claimed that more than ten thousand ISIL fighters had been killed by American-led airstrikes against theIslamic State since a U.S.-led coalition launched acampaign against it nine months previously.[46]
Blinken was aforeign policy advisor for Biden's2020 presidential campaign.[47] On November 22, 2020,Bloomberg News reported that Biden had selected Blinken as his nominee for secretary of state.[48] These reports were later corroborated byThe New York Times and other outlets.[30][49] On November 24, upon being announced as Biden's choice for secretary of state, Blinken said, "We can't solve all the world's problems alone [and] we need to be working with other countries."[50] He had earlier remarked in a September 2020 interview with theAssociated Press that "democracy is in retreat around the world, and unfortunately it's also in retreat at home because of the president taking a two-by-four to its institutions, its values and its people every day."[51]
Blinken's confirmation hearing before theSenate Foreign Relations Committee began on January 19, 2021. His nomination was confirmed by the committee on January 25 with a vote of 15–3.[52] On January 26, Blinken was confirmed in the full Senate by a vote of 78–22.[1] Blinken took the oath of office of the secretary of state later that day.[53] In doing so, he became the third former deputy secretary of state to serve as theSecretary of State, afterLawrence Eagleburger andWarren Christopher in 1992 and 1993, respectively.[54][55]
In the midst of the Biden administration's continuing review of thenormalization agreement between Morocco and Israel enacted during the previous administration, Blinken maintained that the recognition ofMorocco's sovereignty over thedisputed territory ofWestern Sahara, which was annexed by Morocco in 1975, will not be reversed imminently. During internal discussions, he supported improving relations between the two countries and expressed urgency in appointing a United Nations envoy to Western Sahara.[58][59]
In March 2023, Blinken met with Ethiopian prime ministerAbiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa to normalize relations between the United States andEthiopia that were strained by theTigray War between the Ethiopian government andTigray rebels.[60]
Blinken made his first international trip with Secretary of DefenseLloyd Austin to Tokyo andSeoul on March 15, during which he warned China against coercion and aggression.[62][63] He also condemned the Chinese government for committinggenocide against ethnic Uyghurs.[64]
In July 2021, the Biden administration accused China of aglobal cyberespionage campaign, which Blinken said posed "a major threat to our economic and national security".[65]
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign MinisterWang Yi inBali,Indonesia, on July 9, 2022.
In May 2022, Blinken stated that "China is the one country that has the intention as well as the economic, technological, military and diplomatic means to advance a different vision of international order."[68] He dismissed China's claims to be neutral in theRusso-Ukrainian War and accused China of supporting Russia.[69]
In May 2022, Blinken says U.S. to rely on "Alliances", "Trade" and "Investment" tocounter China, and focus on defending the rules-based order Beijing is trying to reshape.[70]
In June 2023, Blinken met with Chinese presidentXi Jinping during his trip to Beijing. According to the State Department's readout, Blinken "emphasized the importance of maintaining open channels of communication across the full range of issues to reduce the risk of miscalculation" and "made clear that while we will compete vigorously, the United States will responsibly manage that competition so that the relationship does not veer into conflict."[71]
On January 31, 2021, Blinken condemned the2021 Myanmar coup d'état and expressed grave concerns on the detention of government officials and civil society leaders, calling for their immediate release.[72] He stated that, "the United States will continue to take firm action against those who perpetrate violence against the people of Burma as they demand the restoration of their democratically elected government."[73]
In February 2021, having spoken to presidentAshraf Ghani, Blinken voiced support forAfghan peace negotiations withTalibanIslamist rebels and reiterated the United States' commitment to a peace deal that includes a "just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire."[74]
Blinken made an unannounced visit toKabul on April 15 and met with U.S. military and diplomatic personnel following the Biden administration's announcement of the2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.[75] He said the decision to withdraw fromAfghanistan was made to focus resources on China and theCOVID-19 pandemic.[76] He faced calls to resign as secretary of state following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.[77][78][79][80]
A USAF C-17 evacuating 823 fleeing Afghan citizens fromKabul Airport on August 15, 2021
In August 2021, Blinken rejected comparisons between the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan due to theTaliban offensive, which started in May 2021 after U.S. and coalition military forces began withdrawing from Afghanistan, and the chaoticAmerican departure from Saigon in 1975, saying that "We went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with one mission, and that mission was to deal with the folks who attacked us on9/11 and we have succeeded in that mission."[81]
On September 25, 2024, theUnited States House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the Biden-Harris administration for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The resolution passed 219-194, with 10 Democrats and all Republicans voting in favor.[82] TwoNew York Times diplomatic correspondents in a 2025 end of term assessment called the withdrawal Blinken's first test as Secretary of State, stating it was widely considered a fiasco.[61]
During the2021 Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken expressed "absolute" support forIsrael's right to defend itself but warned that evicting Palestinian families from their homes inEast Jerusalem is among the actions that could further escalate outbreaks of violence and retaliation.[83][84]
During a visit to Tel Aviv following theOctober 7 attacks, Blinken promised to help defend Israel "as long as America exists." Blinken said that "Israel has the right, indeed the obligation, to defend itself and to ensure that this never happens again."[85] He rejected calls for a ceasefire in theGaza war but said he supported "humanitarian pauses" to deliver aid to the people of theGaza Strip.[86] According to Blinken participated in Netanyahu's cabinet policy decisions on humanitarian aid, which allowed the targeting of aid convoys that could reachHamas. Implementation of the policy resulted in assaults onUNRWA aid trucks, Palestinian police escorts for aid convoys, theWorld Central Kitchen aid convoy attack, and assassination ofAnera aid workers.[87]
In April 2024, it was reported that Blinken had refused to act on recommendations from theIsrael Leahy Vetting Forum to sanction Israeli units that had been accused of human rights violations including torture, rape, and extrajudicial killings in theWest Bank.[88][89] During a hearing before theSenate Foreign Relations Committee on May 21, 2024, Blinken faced fierce criticism from protestors who interrupted his testimony by shouting as they were escorted from the hearing room, including calling him "the Butcher of Gaza" and "Bloody Blinken".[90][91] ATimes of Israel report found that in August 2024, Blinken falsely announced thatBenjamin Netanyahu had accepted a US proposal for a hostage deal, whichthrew a wrench in the works and lead to the round of negotiations falling apart.[92]
"Their conclusion was explosive because U.S. law requires the government to cut off weapons shipments to countries that prevent the delivery of U.S.-backed humanitarian aid. Israel has been largely dependent on American bombs and other weapons in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks."[93]
On January 14, 2025, Blinken expressed his assessment that Hamas had recruited almost as many new members as it had lost in the Israel-Hamas war and that this was due to Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to advance an alternative to Hamas leadership in Gaza.[99] In that same speech, Blinken was interrupted by three protesters who reiterated the common sobriquet "Bloody Blinken" and referred to him as the "Secretary ofGenocide".[100][101] During his final press conference as Secretary of State, journalistsMax Blumenthal andSam Husseini were forcefully removed after asking questions about Gaza policy.[102][103]
Blinken in group meeting with German FMMaas, Turkish FMÇavuşoğlu, British FMRaab, Italian FMDi Maio, NATO Secretary GeneralStoltenberg and U.S. Secretary of DefenseAustin, April 2021
The decision towaive sanctions againstNord Stream AG and its chief executiveMatthias Warnig, subsequent to the completion of theNord Stream 2 natural gaspipeline, drew congressional criticisms.[104] Blinken defended the action as pragmatic and practical to U.S. interests and remarked that proceeding otherwise would be counterproductive with European relations.[104] In June 2021, Blinken traveled with Biden to attend the47th G7 summit in Cornwall, the31st NATO summit in Brussels, and thesummit meeting with presidentVladimir Putin in Geneva.[105] Blinken and Biden both acknowledged that relations between the U.S. and Russia were at their lowest point, and a more predictable relationship remained a key priority.[106] However, he signaled that further punitive actions would be enforced if the Russian government chose to continue with hostile activities such asinterference in the 2020 presidential elections, theSolarWinds cyberattack, or theapparent poisoning andimprisonment of Alexei Navalny.[106] Of the administration's decision to forgo a joint press conference after the summit, Blinken explained that it was "the most effective way" and "not a rare practice".[107]
Later that month, Blinken traveled to Brussels for a NATO Ministerial with European Union counterparts to underscore the Biden administration's determination to strengthen transatlantic alliances.
Blinken has been a co-chair of theTrade and Technology Council since its creation in 2021 to encourage trade relations with the European Union.[108]
Blinken meets with Ukrainian presidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv in 2022. As Secretary of State, Blinken has been deeply involved in the American response to theRussian invasion of Ukraine.
In January 2022, Blinken authorized thesupply of weapons toUkraine to support the Eastern European country in amid border tensions with Russia.[109][110] At a joint press availability with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on January 19, Blinken said "One of the principles which you've heard us repeat – but it always bears repeating – isnothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.[111] Blinken publicly warned on February 11 of the likelihood of aRussian invasion of Ukraine prior to the end the2022 Winter Olympics[112] and on February 13, he said the risk was "high enough and the threat is imminent enough" that theevacuation of most staff from the U.S. Embassy inKyiv was "the prudent thing to do".[113] In September 2022, Blinken pledged that the United States would help the Ukrainian military retakeRussian-occupied territories of Ukraine.[114] He criticizedVladimir Putin's threats to usenuclear weapons, saying that "Russia has gotten itself into the mess that it's in is because there is no one in the [autocratic] system to effectively tell Putin he's doing the wrong thing."[115]
Regarding the countries that decided to beneutral in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Blinken said that "It's pretty hard to be neutral when it comes to this aggression. There is a clear aggressor. There is a clear victim."[116]
Speaking about the2022 Russian mobilization, he said that mobilized Russian civilians were being treated as "cannon fodder that Putin is trying to throw into the war."[117] On October 21, 2022, Blinken said the United States saw no willingness on the side of Russia to end its war in Ukraine bydiplomatic means, despite American attempts.[118] In late 2022, the US Joint Chiefs of StaffMark Milley suggested that Ukraine should take advantage of battlefield gainsin Kharkiv andKherson to seek peace talks, however Blinken rejected this advice.[61] Blinken questioned China'speace proposal, saying "the world should not be fooled by any tactical move by Russia, supported by China or any other country, to freeze the war on its own terms."[119] In June 2023, he rejected any "cease-fire that simply freezes current lines in place".[120] In July 2023, he defended Biden's decision to supply Ukraine withcluster munitions.[121] In June 2024, Blinken said thatChina's support for Russia was prolonging the war in Ukraine.[122]
In May 2021, Blinken traveled to London andReykjavík for theG7 Foreign and Development Ministers' meeting and theArctic Council Ministerial meeting respectively.[124][125] In a meeting with presidentVolodymyr Zelensky and foreign ministerDmytro Kuleba inKyiv, Blinken reaffirmed support forUkraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity against "Russian aggression".[126] During the2021 Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself but warned that evicting Palestinian families from their homes inEast Jerusalem is among the actions that could further escalate outbreaks of violence and retaliation.[83][84] He, along with theUnited Nations Security Council, called for full adherence to the truce and stressed the immediate need for humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians while reiterating the need for atwo-state solution.[127] Following the ceasefire and coinciding Blinken's visit to Jerusalem on May 25, the transfer of food and medical supplies furnished by the United Nations andPhysicians for Human Rights, aid workers, and journalists were permitted into the Gaza Strip.[128]
Blinken and the Biden administration have been criticized for the handling ofAmericans who are wrongfully imprisoned abroad. Families of U.S. detainees in the Middle East were upset that they were left off of a call with Secretary Blinken.[129] In July 2022, Blinken had a meeting withSergey Lavrov to discuss a prisoner swap to secure the release ofPaul Whelan andBrittney Griner.[130] Blinken has met with theBring Our Families Home campaign, a coalition of families with loved ones detained abroad.[131]
On January 28, 2025,Crown Publishing Group announced that Blinken had agreed to write a book on his experiences as Secretary of State.[134]
On February 8, 2025,President Trump stated that he would be stripping Blinken's security clearance in an interview with theNew York Post.[135] The decision was later confirmed, with Trump ordering the removal of Blinken’s access to classified information. Trump also announced plans to revoke the security clearances of several other officials, including former president Joe Biden,Letitia James,Alvin Bragg, and former national security adviserJake Sullivan.[136]
Blinken has been critical of the Trump administration in aiding China to advance its own key strategic goals. He stated: "[Trump] weaken[ed] American alliances, leaving a vacuum in the world for China to fill, abandoning our values and giving China a green light to trample on human rights and democracy fromXinjiang to Hong Kong".[149] However, he also credited the former president's administration for its aggressive approach and has characterized China as a "techno-autocracy" which seeks world dominance.[150][151] He indicated a desire to welcome political refugees from Hong Kong and stated that the Biden administration's commitment toTaiwan's defense would "absolutely endure", and that China's use of military force against Taiwan "would be a grievous mistake on their part".[151] Blinken has also viewed China as committing genocide and crimes against humanity againstUyghurMuslims and other ethnic minorities in its northwestern region ofXinjiang.[152] Blinken has characterized former president Trump'sPhase One trade deal with China as "a debacle".[153] He said it was unrealistic to "fully decouple" from China and has expressed support for "stronger economic ties withTaiwan".[153][154]
Blinken with Saudi Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 7, 2023
Blinken has indicated American interest in robust ties between itself,Greece, Israel, andCyprus regarding the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act and acknowledged the threats posed by an expansionistTurkey, which is "not acting like an ally".[155] He opposed Turkish presidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğan's call for "a two-state solution in Cyprus", saying the Biden administration is committed to thereunification of Cyprus.[40][156] Blinken has also suggested that he would consider sanctioning theErdoğan administration.[157] Blinken reaffirmed his support of keepingNATO's door open forGeorgia, a country in theCaucasus, and raised the argument that NATO member countries have been more effectively shielded from "Russian aggression".[158]
During a visit to Tel Aviv following theHamas attack on Israel, Blinken promised to help defendIsrael "as long as America exists." Blinken said that "Israel has the right, indeed the obligation, to defend itself and to ensure that this never happens again."[85] He rejected calls for a ceasefire in theGaza war but said he supported "humanitarian pauses" to deliver aid to the people of theGaza Strip.[86] Supporters of the Palestinian cause established an encampment outside Blinken's home inMcLean, Virginia, named 'Kibbutz Blinken.'[166]
In 2017, Blinken co-foundedWestExec Advisors, a political strategy advising firm, withMichèle Flournoy, Sergio Aguirre, and Nitin Chadda.[167][168] WestExec's clients have included Google'sJigsaw, Israeli artificial-intelligence company Windward, surveillance drone manufacturer Shield AI, which signed a $7.2million contract with the Air Force,[169] and "Fortune 100 types".[170] According toForeign Policy, the firm's clientele includes "the defense industry, private equity firms, and hedge funds".[171] Blinken received almost $1.2million in compensation from WestExec.[172]
Blinken, as well as other Biden transition team membersMichele Flournoy, former Pentagon advisor, andLloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, are partners ofprivate equity firm Pine Island Capital Partners,[175][176] a strategic partner of WestExec.[177] Pine Island's chairman isJohn Thain, the final chairman ofMerrill Lynch before its sale toBank of America.[178] Blinken went on leave from Pine Island in August 2020 to join the Biden campaign as a senior foreign policy advisor.[176] He said he would divest himself of his equity stake in Pine Island if confirmed for a position in the Biden administration.[177]
During the final stretch of Biden's presidential campaign, Pine Island raised $218million for aspecial-purpose acquisition company, a public offering to invest in "defense, government service and aerospace industries" andCOVID-19 relief, which the firm's prospectus (initially filed with the U.S. SEC in September and finalized on November 13, 2020) predicted would be profitable as the government looked to private contractors to address the pandemic.[176] Thain said he chose the other partners because of their "access, network and expertise".[169]
In a December 2020New York Times article raising questions about potential conflicts of interest between WestExec principals, Pine Island advisors, including Blinken, and service in the Biden administration, critics called for full disclosure of all WestExec/Pine Island financial relationships, divestiture of ownership stakes in companies bidding on government contracts or enjoying existing contracts, and assurances that Blinken and others recuse themselves from decisions that might advantage their previous clients.[169]
In general, Blinken is widely seen as a close protégé of Joe Biden and a key part of the Biden administration’s legacy. He has received praise for his role in attempting to strengthen the United States’ international partnerships, particularly with Europe and NATO allies.[citation needed]
Some State Department employees resigned in protest during Blinken’s tenure, citing the emotional burden of working under him. One official stated: “I got so tired of writing about dead kids.... Just constantly having to prove to Washington that these children actually died and then watching nothing happen.”[187]
Activists have referred to him as “Bloody Blinken,” “The Butcher of Gaza,” and “The Secretary of Genocide,”[188][189] and took the step of setting up a permanent protest camp outside his Northern Virginia home.[190]
When asked directly in January 2025 if he worried that he had presided over what the world would see as a genocide, Blinken responded: “No. It’s not, first of all. Second, as to how the world sees it, I can’t fully answer to that. But everyone has to look at the facts and draw their own conclusions from those facts.”[183] Subsequently, theInternational Association of Genocide Scholars[191] and aUN commission[192][193] both resolved that the assault on Gaza did indeed meet thelegal definition of genocide.
In public opinion polling, 26% of respondents reported a favorable or very favorable opinion of Blinken, 31% had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion, and 44% had no opinion at all in a poll conducted in December 2023.[194]
^Statement for the RecordArchived March 4, 2021, at theWayback Machine before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Antony J. Blinken, Nominee for Secretary of State, January 19, 2021.
^"Photo: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledges $2 billion in new U.S. military aid for Ukraine in a surprise visit to Kyiv. - UKR2022090805".UPI. RetrievedNovember 22, 2024.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken receives from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky an Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the 2st degree during their meeting in Kyiv in Ukrainia, on Thursday on September 8, 2022.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv on Thursday, where he pledged $2 billion in new military aid for Ukraine and other European nations that are threatened by Russia's ongoing military campaign.
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