History of Antony Blinken in Timeline
Antony John Blinken is an American diplomat and lawyer. He served as the 71st United States Secretary of State (2021-2025). Prior to this, he held key positions in the Obama administration, including Deputy National Security Advisor (2013-2015) and Deputy Secretary of State (2015-2017). He also served as National Security Advisor to Vice President Joe Biden (2009-2013), marking a significant career in U.S. foreign policy and national security.
April 16, 1962: Antony Blinken's Birth
On April 16, 1962, Antony John Blinken was born. He later became an American lawyer and diplomat.
1971: Moved to Paris
In 1971, Antony Blinken moved to Paris with his mother and Samuel Pisar after his parents' divorce.
1975: American Departure from Saigon
In 1975, Antony Blinken rejected comparisons between the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and the American departure from Saigon.
1975: Morocco Annexed Western Sahara
In 1975, Morocco annexed the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
1980: Attended Harvard College
In 1980, Antony Blinken began attending Harvard College, where he majored in social studies and co-edited The Harvard Crimson.
1984: Graduated from Harvard
In 1984, Antony Blinken graduated from Harvard College.
1987: Authored Ally versus Ally
In 1987, Antony Blinken authored "Ally versus Ally: America, Europe, and the Siberian Pipeline Crisis", based on his undergraduate thesis.
1988: Earned J.D. from Columbia Law School
In 1988, Antony Blinken earned a J.D. from Columbia Law School and practiced law in New York City and Paris.
1994: National Security Council Staff
From 1994, Antony Blinken was a member of the National Security Council staff, serving in various senior roles.
1994: Served in the State Department
In 1994, Antony Blinken began serving in the State Department and held senior positions on the National Security Council during the Clinton administration.
1998: Senior Director for Strategic Planning
From 1994 to 1998, Antony Blinken served as special assistant to the president and senior director for strategic planning.
1999: Senior Director
From 1999, Antony Blinken served as special assistant to the president and senior director for European and Canadian affairs.
2001: Senior Fellow at Center for Strategic Studies
In 2001, Antony Blinken became a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies after his tenure in the Clinton administration.
2001: End of NSC Staff
In 2001, Antony Blinken's tenure as a member of the National Security Council staff ended.
2002: Blinken Marriage
In 2002, Antony Blinken and Evan Ryan were married in an interfaith ceremony at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.
2002: Staff Director
In 2002, Antony Blinken was appointed staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
2003: Advocated for Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, Antony Blinken advocated for the invasion of Iraq while serving as the Democratic staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
2008: Foreign Policy Advisor
In 2008, Antony Blinken served as a foreign policy advisor for Joe Biden's presidential campaign before advising the Obama-Biden presidential transition.
2008: Presidential Campaign
In 2008, Antony Blinken worked for Joe Biden's presidential campaign and was a member of the Obama-Biden presidential transition team.
2008: End of Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In 2008, Antony Blinken's tenure as staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee concluded.
2009: Deputy Assistant
From 2009, Antony Blinken served as deputy assistant to the president and National Security Advisor to the Vice President.
2009: Deputy Assistant to the President
From 2009, Antony Blinken served as deputy assistant to the president and national security advisor to the vice president.
2011: Obama's Decision on Bin Laden
In 2011, Antony Blinken commented on Obama's decision to kill Osama bin Laden.
2011: Supported Intervention in Libya
In 2011, Antony Blinken supported the military intervention in Libya and the supply of weapons to Syrian rebels.
January 20, 2013: Sworn in as deputy national security advisor
On January 20, 2013, Antony Blinken was sworn in as deputy national security advisor, succeeding Denis McDonough.
2013: Drafting Syria Policy
In 2013, Antony Blinken was described as "one of the government's key players in drafting Syria policy".
November 7, 2014: Nominated for Deputy Secretary Post
On November 7, 2014, President Obama announced that he would nominate Antony Blinken for the deputy secretary post.
December 16, 2014: Confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State
On December 16, 2014, Antony Blinken was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State by the Senate.
2014: Annexation of Crimea
In 2014, Antony Blinken was influential in formulating the Obama administration's response to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.
2014: Iron Dome Interceptor Missiles
In 2014, Antony Blinken worked with Biden on requests for American money to replenish Israel's arsenal of Iron Dome interceptor missiles during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
April 2015: Voiced Support for Intervention in Yemen
In April 2015, Antony Blinken voiced support for the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.
May 2015: Criticized Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar
In May 2015, Antony Blinken criticized the persecution of Muslims in Myanmar.
June 2015: Claimed ISIL Fighters Killed
In June 2015, Antony Blinken claimed that more than ten thousand ISIL fighters had been killed by American-led airstrikes.
2016: Condemned Turkish coup d'état attempt
In 2016, Antony Blinken condemned the Turkish coup d'état attempt.
2017: Managing Director at Penn Biden Center
In 2017, Antony Blinken became the managing director of the Penn Biden Center, a University of Pennsylvania think tank based in Washington.
2017: Blinken Co-founds WestExec Advisors
In 2017, Blinken co-founded WestExec Advisors, a political strategy advising firm.
March 2019: Birth of Son
In March 2019, Antony Blinken and Evan Ryan's son, John, was born.
2019: Managing Director at Penn Biden Center
In 2019, Antony Blinken was the managing director of the Penn Biden Center, a University of Pennsylvania think tank based in Washington.
February 2020: Birth of Daughter
In February 2020, Antony Blinken and Evan Ryan's daughter, Lila, was born.
August 2020: Blinken Joins Biden Campaign
In August 2020, Antony Blinken went on leave from Pine Island Capital Partners to join the Biden campaign as a senior foreign policy advisor.
September 2020: Democracy in Retreat
In September 2020, Antony Blinken remarked that "democracy is in retreat around the world, and unfortunately it's also in retreat at home".
October 28, 2020: Blinken Reaffirms Strategic Review of US-Saudi Relationship
On October 28, 2020, Blinken reaffirmed that a Biden administration will undertake strategic review of the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
November 13, 2020: Pine Island Raises Funds
On November 13, 2020, during the final stretch of Biden's presidential campaign, Pine Island raised $218 million for a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
November 22, 2020: Selected for Secretary of State
On November 22, 2020, news outlets reported that Joe Biden had selected Antony Blinken as his nominee for Secretary of State.
December 2020: Conflict of Interest Concerns
In December 2020, a New York Times article raised questions about potential conflicts of interest between WestExec principals, Pine Island advisors (including Blinken), and service in the Biden administration.
2020: Foreign Policy Advisor
In 2020, Antony Blinken was a foreign policy advisor for Biden's presidential campaign, leading to his nomination for Secretary of State.
2020: Blinken on US and Russia Relations
In 2020, Blinken acknowledged that relations between the U.S. and Russia were at their lowest point.
2020: Blinken Supports Extending Arms Treaty and Reviews Azerbaijan Aid
In 2020, Blinken expressed support for extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia and said the Biden administration will "review" security assistance to Azerbaijan.
January 2021: Blinken on Embassy in Jerusalem and Iran Sanctions
In January 2021, Blinken stated the Biden administration would keep the American embassy to Israel in Jerusalem and would seek a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and is in favor of continuing non-nuclear sanctions against Iran.
January 19, 2021: Confirmation Hearing
On January 19, 2021, Antony Blinken's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee began.
January 26, 2021: Confirmed as Secretary of State
On January 26, 2021, Antony Blinken was confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of State.
January 26, 2021: Confirmed in Full Senate
On January 26, 2021, Antony Blinken was confirmed in the full Senate and took the oath of office as Secretary of State.
January 31, 2021: Condemned Myanmar Coup d'état
On January 31, 2021, Antony Blinken condemned the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état and expressed grave concerns regarding the detention of government officials.
February 2021: Condemned Ethnic Cleansing in Tigray
In February 2021, Antony Blinken condemned ethnic cleansing in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
February 2021: Supported Afghan Peace Negotiations
In February 2021, Antony Blinken voiced support for Afghan peace negotiations with Taliban Islamist rebels.
April 2021: Denounced Sentencing of Hong Kong Activists
In late April 2021, Antony Blinken denounced the sentencing of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists for their roles in the 2019 Hong Kong protests.
May 2021: Blinken Travels to London, Reykjavík and Kyiv
In May 2021, Blinken traveled to London and Reykjavík for meetings and reaffirmed support for Ukraine in Kyiv during a meeting with Ukrainian officials.
May 2021: Taliban Offensive
In May 2021, the Taliban offensive started after U.S. and coalition military forces began withdrawing from Afghanistan.
June 2021: Blinken Attends G7 and NATO Summits
In June 2021, Blinken traveled with Biden to attend the 47th G7 summit in Cornwall, the 31st NATO summit in Brussels, and a summit with Vladimir Putin in Geneva.
July 2021: Accused China of Cyberespionage
In July 2021, the Biden administration accused China of a global cyberespionage campaign, which Antony Blinken said posed "a major threat to our economic and national security".
August 2021: Rejected Comparisons
In August 2021, Antony Blinken rejected comparisons between the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and the American departure from Saigon in 1975.
2021: Blinken Expresses Support for Israel During Conflict
During the 2021 Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken expressed "absolute" support for Israel's right to defend itself, but warned against actions like evicting Palestinian families from East Jerusalem.
2021: Visited Kabul
In 2021, Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Kabul following the Biden administration's announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
2021: Blinken on Brexit, Egypt Human Rights, and Afghanistan
In 2021, Blinken opposed the United Kingdom's separation from the European Union and expressed concern over human rights violations in Egypt and has stated that the United States will not recognize any government in Afghanistan that harbors terrorist groups or that does not uphold basic human rights.
2021: House Committee Recommends Blinken be Held in Contempt of Congress
On September 24, 2024, the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to recommend U.S. Secretary of State Blinken be held in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena seeking information about the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
2021: Blinken Co-chairs Trade and Technology Council
Since its creation in 2021, Blinken has been a co-chair of the Trade and Technology Council to encourage trade relations with the European Union.
May 2022: Countering China
In May 2022, Antony Blinken says U.S. to rely on "Alliances", "Trade" and "Investment" to counter China, and focus on defending the rules-based order Beijing is trying to reshape.
May 2022: China's International Order Vision
In May 2022, Antony 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."
July 2022: Blinken Meets with Lavrov to Discuss Prisoner Swap
In July 2022, Blinken met with Sergey Lavrov to discuss a prisoner swap aimed at securing the release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner.
September 2022: Blinken Pledges Support for Ukraine to Retake Territories
In September 2022, Blinken pledged that the United States would help the Ukrainian military retake Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
March 2023: Met with Ethiopian Prime Minister
In March 2023, Antony Blinken met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa to normalize relations between the United States and Ethiopia.
June 2023: Met with Xi Jinping
In June 2023, Antony Blinken met with Chinese president Xi Jinping during his trip to Beijing to discuss open communication channels and responsible competition.
June 2023: Blinken Rejects Cease-Fire Freezing Current Lines in Ukraine
In June 2023, Blinken rejected any "cease-fire that simply freezes current lines in place" in Ukraine.
July 2023: Blinken Defends Decision to Supply Ukraine with Cluster Munitions
In July 2023, Blinken defended Biden's decision to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions.
September 2023: Global Music Diplomacy Initiative Performance
In September 2023, Antony Blinken performed "Hoochie Coochie Man" to launch the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative at the State Department.
November 15, 2023: Woodside Summit
On November 15, 2023, Antony Blinken accompanied Biden as together they hosted Xi Jinping and Wang Yi in Woodside, California and the so-called 2023 Woodside Summit.
April 2024: Blinken Refuses to Sanction Israeli Units
In April 2024, it was reported that Blinken had refused to act on recommendations from the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum to sanction Israeli units involved in human rights violations.
May 2024: Kyiv Bar Performance
In May 2024, Antony Blinken played guitar in a Kyiv bar during the first visit by a Biden administration official since the approval of U.S. supplemental funding for Ukraine.
May 21, 2024: Blinken Faces Criticism at Senate Hearing
On May 21, 2024, Blinken faced criticism from protestors during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, where he was called "the Butcher of Gaza" and "Bloody Blinken".
August 2024: Blinken Falsely Announced Hostage Deal
In August 2024, a Times of Israel report found that Blinken falsely announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a US proposal for a hostage deal, which threw a wrench in the works and lead to the round of negotiations falling apart.
September 24, 2024: Report Alleges Blinken Lied to Congress on Gaza Aid
On September 24, 2024, ProPublica reported that Blinken allegedly lied to the U.S. Congress about Israel blocking humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza, ignoring reports from USAID and the State Department Refugees Bureau.
September 25, 2024: House Condemns Biden-Harris Administration on Afghanistan Withdrawal
On September 25, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the Biden-Harris administration for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, with a vote of 219-194.
January 14, 2025: Blinken Assesses Hamas Recruitment and Faces Protests
On January 14, 2025, Blinken assessed that Hamas had recruited almost as many new members as it had lost and was interrupted by protesters calling him "Bloody Blinken".
January 2025: Declared Genocide in Sudan
In January 2025, Antony Blinken declared that the combatants in the Sudanese civil war were carrying out a genocide.
January 28, 2025: Blinken to Write Book on Experiences as Secretary of State
On January 28, 2025, Crown Publishing Group announced that Blinken had agreed to write a book on his experiences as Secretary of State.
February 8, 2025: Trump to Strip Blinken's Security Clearance
On February 8, 2025, President Trump stated that he would be stripping Blinken's security clearance and was later confirmed.
2025: Withdrawal from Afghanistan Called a Fiasco
In 2025, two New York Times diplomatic correspondents assessed that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was Blinken's first test as Secretary of State, and it was widely considered a fiasco.
January 25: Nomination Confirmed
On January 25, Antony Blinken's nomination was confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
