Antony Blinken confirmed as Secretary of State
The US Senate backed the nomination of Antony Blinken as secretary of state on Tuesday by a 78-22 vote He served as No. 2 at State during the Obama presidency when Joe Biden was vice president. Blinken pledged to work more closely with allies than the former president, work to revitalize American diplomacy and build a united front to counter challenges posed by Russia, China and Iran. With regard to prospective negotiations with Iran, Blinken promised that the US would consult with Gulf allies and Israel.