Antony John Blinkenis an American government official who served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State from 2015 to 2017 and Deputy National Security Advisor from 2013 to 2015 under President Barack Obama. Blinken is now a global affairs analyst for CNN[1] and has been chosen by President-elect Joe Biden for the position of Secretary of State.
Early life and education
Blinken was born on April 16, 1962 in New York City, New York, to Jewish parents, Judith (Frehm) and Donald M. Blinken. He attended the Dalton School in New York City until 1971, when he moved to Paris, France, where he attended École Jeannine Manuel. He moved there with his divorced mother and her new husband, attorney Samuel Pisar, who had survived both the Auschwitz and Dachau camps in the Holocaust.
Blinken attended Harvard University, where he worked on The Harvard Crimson and co-edited the weekly art magazine. After earning his bachelor's degree, Blinken reported for The New Republic. He earned his J.D. at Columbia Law School in 1988. After graduation, he practiced law in New York City and Paris. During the 1988 presidential campaign, Blinken worked with his father Donald in fundraisers for Michael Dukakis.
Political positions
Blinken described Turkey as a NATO ally with which the United States will have to "find ways to work more effectively together". He said the U.S. should support Turkey in its fight against the PKK, a Kurdish separatist movement deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey.
On November 19, 2020, Blinken expressed concern over reports of escalating ethnic tensions in Ethiopia's Tigray Region and urged peaceful resolution of the Tigray conflict.
Blinken has referred to Brexit as a "total mess".
Personal life
In 2002, Blinken married Evan Ryan in a bi-denominational ceremony officiated by a rabbi and priest at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. He is fluent in French. He plays guitar and has two songs available on Spotify by the alias ABlinken. Blinken is Jewish.
