Avril Haines Appointed as Director of National Intelligence... Women Likely to Lead Treasury and Defense as Well
Cuban-born Nominee for Secretary of Homeland Security, Overseeing Immigration Policy
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As President-elect Joe Biden begins to formalize appointments for the next administration and White House staff, various records such as 'first woman' and 'first immigrant' are being set one after another. Unlike the Donald Trump administration, which was centered on white men, Biden's intention to diversify characteristics such as gender and race is reflected in the appointments.
Looking at the list of appointments announced by the Biden transition team on the 23rd (local time), the first female leaders stand out. Avril Haines, nominated as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), overseeing U.S. intelligence agencies, became the first female DNI director in history. She served as Deputy National Security Advisor at the National Security Council (NSC) from 2015 to 2017 during the Barack Obama administration and was Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2013 to 2015. Haines had previously held the distinction of being the first woman in both positions.
Biden also appointed Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a Black female diplomat who was dismissed by President Trump in 2017, as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN). In the predominantly white male American diplomatic corps, Thomas-Greenfield, a Black woman, served as the head of the State Department review team in the Biden transition and is now elevated to the cabinet-level position of UN Ambassador.
Additionally, although not officially announced yet, reports indicate that former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is poised to become the first female Secretary of the Treasury, which would be another historic milestone. Furthermore, if Michelle Flournoy, former Under Secretary of Defense, is nominated as a leading candidate for Secretary of Defense, she would become the first female Secretary of Defense in U.S. history.
The title of first immigrant-origin official also appeared. Alejandro Mayorkas, former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, became the first immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Born in Cuba and having fled the Fidel Castro regime to the United States, he will now oversee the department responsible for immigration policy. Given that the Trump administration pursued a hardline immigration policy throughout its term, the Biden administration appears to aim to quell distrust within immigrant communities and implement stable immigration policies through experienced bureaucrats.
Biden has pledged to appoint a diverse range of individuals with government experience and expertise in public policy. Breaking away from the white male-centered Trump administration, he intends to place women and immigrants in key positions. When announcing foreign policy appointments that day, he explained, "Without diversity of background and perspective, we cannot face the serious challenges of this new era with old thinking and unchanging habits. That is why I chose these individuals."
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