Antony Blinken
Bio | Blinken is the newly-appointed Secretary of State under the Biden Administration. He has previously served as the Deputy Secretary of State (2015-2017) and the Deputy National Security Advisor (2013-2015). |
Status and Position | Current Secretary of State of White House Staff |
Political Party and Jurisdiction | Democrat, White House Staff |
Elections | Election Jurisdiction | Started Campaign | Campaign Status | Poll Rankings (of the vote) |
Campaign Financing | Not much has been publicized about Blinken's campaign funding, however Blinken himself has given funds to numerous Democratic Congressional and White House campaigns. Source: https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/11/biden-cabinet-state-department-favor-dems-political-cash/ |
Voting Rights | No clear stance on issue. |
Opinions on Issues
Issues | Stance | Summary |
| Universal Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Socialized Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Private Healthcare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| LGBT Rights | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Taxes | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Flat Tax Rate | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Abortion | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Gun Control | Nuance | He has not expressed his views on the control of guns and weapons domestically, however he is an advocate for the New START Program, which is an arms control treaty with Russia seeking to limit the use of nuclear weaponry. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/22/us/politics/biden-antony-blinken-secretary-of-state.html, https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404 The New START Program supported by Blinken seeks to deescalate tensions between the United States and Russia through limiting the nuclear weapons capacities on both sides, rather than allowing them to go unregulated. Blinken also support denuclearization policies with North Korea and Iran. Source: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/01/reviving-nuclear-arms-control-under-biden/, https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404 |
| Assisted Suicide | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. The New START Program supported by Blinken seeks to deescalate tensions between the United States and Russia through limiting the nuclear weapons capacities on both sides, rather than allowing them to go unregulated. Blinken also support denuclearization policies with North Korea and Iran. Source: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/01/reviving-nuclear-arms-control-under-biden/, https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404 |
| Government Interference | For | As Blinken's main political focus is foreign policy, he has not expressed much on his views of domestic government intervention. On the subject of foreign policy, Blinken supports government intervention in international conflicts and calls for the denuclearization of Russia, North Korea, and Iran as well as the United States support of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Source: https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404 |
| Planned Parenthood | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Welfare | Nuance | Blinken has not spoken much on the subject of welfare in terms of domestic policy, however he has called for the United States to support international human rights, especially in China and Egypt. Source: https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-rights-biden/biden-aide-blinken-voices-concern-about-rights-group-in-egypt-idUSKBN2802UJ Blinken is an outspoken advocate for international human rights and is vice-chair of the board of directors for the organization Human Rights First. He believes the United States should support the civilians of countries like China and Egypt who are fighting against human rights violations by their governments. Source: https://www.newsweek.com/what-antony-blinken-said-about-key-foreign-policy-issues-1549404, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-rights-biden/biden-aide-blinken-voices-concern-about-rights-group-in-egypt-idUSKBN2802UJ |
| Welfare | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Death Penalty | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Mandatory Prison Sentence | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Military Spending | For | Blinken has a track record of support for uS military intervention, such as military involvement in Libya, the arming of Syrian rebels, and the supply of Israel with missiles. He has also expressed disapproval of Trump's withdrawal of troops from Syria. Source: https://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/tony-blinkens-star-turn-096847, https://edition.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2014/09/18/house-approves-aid-to-syrian-rebels-blinken-interview-newday.cnn, https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-tapping-blinken-biden-will-be-served-by-confidante-with-deep-jewish-roots/ |
| War on Terrorism | For | Blinken has adviocated for the US to work with its international allies to combat terrorism from the Islamic State. He has also expressed that he does not see the war on terrorism as comparable to the war in Iraq and Syria;. Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?322420-4/tony-blinken-us-policy-terrorists |
| Foreign Policy International Interaction | For | Blinken's foreign policy stances are extensive, but overall his view on international relations is that the United States should work with and support its allies to address foreign policy issues and advocate for human rights. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/31/opinion/to-defeat-isis-arm-the-syrian-kurds.html, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55001328. https://www.voanews.com/europe/egyptian-suspects-murder-italian-student-likely-face-absentia-trial, https://uscnpm.org/2020/11/23/antony-blinken-and-the-future-u-s-china-policy/ Blinken has supported foreign policy measures such as the arming of Syrian Kurds to combat ISIS, the US support of its ally Turkey, a peaceful solution to the Ethiopian Tigray conflict, and the US opposition of human rights violations by the Chinese and Egyptian governments. Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/31/opinion/to-defeat-isis-arm-the-syrian-kurds.html, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55001328. https://www.voanews.com/europe/egyptian-suspects-murder-italian-student-likely-face-absentia-trial, https://uscnpm.org/2020/11/23/antony-blinken-and-the-future-u-s-china-policy/ |
| United Nations power | For | Blinken has utilized the United Nations to address foreign policy issues and international relations and this advocacy has garnered support from the UN for his nomination as Secretary of State under the Biden Adminsitration. Source: https://betterworldcampaign.org/news-room/press-releases/secretary-of-state-blinken/, https://unfoundation.org/media/un-foundation-statement-on-the-nominations-of-antony-blinken-to-be-u-s-secretary-of-state-and-linda-thomas-greenfield-to-be-u-s-permanent-representative-to-the-united-nations/ |
| Nationalism | Against | Blinken sees nationalism as a national security issue and advocates instead for cooperation, allyship, and humanitarian treatment between nations . Source: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/interview/antony-blinken/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-top-global-challenges/ |
| Free Markets | Nuance | Blinken has not commented much on his view on domestic economic policy, however in terms of foreign policy, ne is supportive of free trade and cooperative trade relations between countries. Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-biden-idUSKCN26D1SM?edition-redirect=ca, https://www.ft.com/content/25d54717-2803-45f3-b54a-9b147e9a8951, https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-picks-antony-blinken-for-secretary-of-state-11606100542 Blinken has advocated for improved trade relations with China, Taiwan, and the EU, and has commented on Trump's handling of the trade war by advising that “Instead of hurting our own citizens, and fighting with our democratic allies, we ought to be working on a fair approach to international trade and investment." Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-biden-idUSKCN26D1SM?edition-redirect=ca, https://www.ft.com/content/25d54717-2803-45f3-b54a-9b147e9a8951, https://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-picks-antony-blinken-for-secretary-of-state-11606100542 |
| Brexit | Against | Blinken has voiced that he is against the Brexit deal due to its complication of trade relations with the UK and EU and its interference with the peacemaking process in Ireland. Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-bidens-secretary-of-state-pick-tony-blinken-brexit-mess-2020-11 |
| Affirmative Action | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Government Spending | Nuance | Blinken supports government spending when it comes to issues such as national security and defense, interventions in international conflicts, and clean energy innovations and environmental protections Source: https://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/tony-blinkens-star-turn-096847, https://edition.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2014/09/18/house-approves-aid-to-syrian-rebels-blinken-interview-newday.cnn, https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-tapping-blinken-biden-will-be-served-by-confidante-with-deep-jewish-roots/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-top-global-challenges/ |
| Charter Schools | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Common Core | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Clean Energy | For | Blinken advocates for clean energy innovations and environmental protections, and insists that this be a collective international goal rather than a burden focused solely on the US. Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-top-global-challenges/ |
| Religious Freedom | For | Blinken is a supporter of religious freedom and tolerance domestically but also internationally and opposes any efforts to penalize individuals for practicing their respective religions. Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?413811-1/state-department-releases-international-religious-freedom-report During the 2015 International Religious Freedom Report, Blinken said that religious freedom is "etched into the DNA" of the United States and that it is the foundation upon which the country was built. He is a supporter of defending religious freedom in areas of the world in which it is threatened and blaspemy laws still limit religious freedom. Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?413811-1/state-department-releases-international-religious-freedom-report |
| Separation of Church and State | For | Blinken believes that religious freedom should be a right protected and guaranteed by the government and that laws imposing on religion are unjust and inhumane. Source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?413811-1/state-department-releases-international-religious-freedom-report |
| Slavery Reparations | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Border Control | Nuance | Blinken has supported national border security, but is also an advocate for greater acceptance of refugees and immigrants, and creating more pathways to citizenship for undocumented individuals. Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-joe-biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-covid-shortfalls-failures-in-syria/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUxKsG5YrPE As an immigrant himself, Blinken believes that the United States is simultaneously a "nation of immigrants" and a "nation of laws." He acknowledges the role the immigrants disproportionately play in supporting the country through agriculture and working in underserved communitites and advocates that undocumented immigrants contributing to and supporting the economy as well as DREAMers be given clear pathways to citizenship. Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-joe-biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-covid-shortfalls-failures-in-syria/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUxKsG5YrPE |
| Passenger Profiling | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| DACA | For | Blinken believes that undocumented immigrants contributing to the economy and DREAMers who have been in the country since childhood should be given clear pathways to become legal citizenships. He has declared the United States "a nation of immigrants" and "a nation of laws." Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-joe-biden-foreign-policy-adviser-antony-blinken-on-covid-shortfalls-failures-in-syria/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUxKsG5YrPE |
| Sanctuary Cities | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |
| Legalizing Marijuana | Unknown | No clear stance on issue. |