The cabinet appointed by President-elect Joe Biden, who will take office on Wednesday (20), has drawn attention, since the first announcements, to the diversity of sexes and races.
There aren’t some of the first and first black men and women, as well as women and Latinos, appointed to high-ranking positions. Although newcomers, they have consolidated references in the areas in which they operate.
The contrast with the team of his predecessor, Donald Trump, has not freed some of the selected names from criticism, however. Tom Vilsack’s appointment to the Agriculture Secretariat, for example, displeased black farmer associations, since when he ran the portfolio under Barack Obama he was accused of denying loans to African-American farmers.
Names that were already part of the Obama administration (2009-2017) are also frequently present in the list of nominees. See who forms the first echelon of the Biden government below.
Antony Blinken
Secretary of State
He began his career in the State Department under the Bill Clinton administration and served as Assistant Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.
Janet Yellen
Secretary of the Treasury
The first woman to head one of the most important government posts in the post-pandemic recovery, she served as Chairman of the Federal Reserve (Fed), the U.S. Central Bank, between 2014 and 2018, shortly after taking the post vice, between 2010 and 2014
Lloyd Austin
Defense Secretary
The first black to take office, the retired general led divisions fighting in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2005 and was commander of US forces in Iraq between 2010 and 2011.
Merrick garland
Justice secretary
The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals judge, a court in which he has served since 1997, had his Supreme Court appointment refused in 2016, the appointment being considered by the Senate to be very close to the election which set Obama’s successor (ten more to go) months for election)
Deb Haaland
Interior secretary
The first woman and first native to lead the portfolio, the MP is active in legislative proposals against the government of Jair Bolsonaro (without a party) and on several occasions against the agreements between Brazil and the United States.
Tom vilsack
Secretary of Agriculture
A former governor of Iowa, he served for both Obama terms and was involved in the controversial case of the resignation of Shirley Sherrod, a black woman and director of rural development for the state of Georgia in 2010; he allegedly forced her to leave, after part of her speech was edited and misinterpreted as damaging to white farmers
Gina Raimondo
Secretary of Commerce
Governor of Rhode Island, she holds a law degree from Yale University. Has a PhD from the University of Oxford and experience in the investment field
Marty walsh
Labor secretary
Mayor of Boston, he was a labor leader who gained political capital as a representative of unions such as metalworkers and electricians.
Pete Buttigieg
Transport secretary
The first openly gay candidate in the Democratic race to define the party’s presidential candidate, he served as mayor of South Bend, with a degree in history and literature from Harvard University, and an MA in economics, political science and philosophy at the ‘University of Oxford. He became a naval intelligence officer for the navy in 2009 and was sent to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014.
Jennifer granholm
Energy secretary
An advocate for renewable energy development, she was the first woman to rule the state of Michigan and worked with Biden in 2009, as Obama’s deputy, on an auto industry bailout. which included investments in clean energy for automakers.
Xavier Becerra
Health and Social Services Secretary
The first Latin to take office, he was a Democrat MP and attorney general of California. He developed a career related to criminal justice, immigration and tax policy issues and for a long time was considered a candidate for the post of Secretary of Justice.
Marcia Fudge
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
A member of Ohio since 2008, she graduated in economics and law, worked in the Cuyahoga County Attorney’s Office, and served as the first mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
Miguel Cardona
Education secretary
A public education specialist, he is an experienced teacher and administrator in public schools and holds the position of Connecticut Education Commissioner (similar to Secretary of State)
Denis mcdonough
Veterans Secretary
Obama’s chief of staff between 2013 and 2016, he served as Deputy National Security Advisor and Chief of the National Security Cabinet and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications.
Alejandro mayorkas
Secretary for National Security
Born in Havana, the capital of Cuba, he has more than 30 years of legal career in the private sector. He was Deputy Secretary of DHS – an immigration body that will now lead – from 2013 to 2016 and is the first Latin and immigrant to hold this position.
Ron Klain *
Leader
A lawyer with experience in Washington, he served as Obama’s advisor and led the Democratic government’s operation in the fight against the Ebola epidemic.
William burns
Director of the CIA
A retired diplomat, he spent more than three decades in the country’s diplomatic corps, became State Department number two, and helped maintain secret negotiations with Iran that paved the way for the nuclear deal. in 2015.
Katherine tai
Sales representative
The first non-white woman to hold the post, which has ambassadorial status, worked in the U.S. Trade Office between 2007 and 2014 and helped narrow the boundaries between different political groups and lines of interest in approving the new NAFTA (North American Free Trade Treaty) Trade, which involves Mexico and Canada)
April Haines
Director of National Intelligence
The first woman in office, she was the presidential adviser on national security in the Obama administration and also the first woman to lead the CIA, from 2013 to 2015
Michael regan
Head of the Environmental Protection Agency
The first black in office, he was head of the environmental quality department in the state of North Carolina and was a key figure in Democratic Governor Roy Coopera’s attempt to keep his promise to achieve carbon neutrality. in the state by 2050.
Isabel Guzman
Head of Small Business Administration
Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Portfolio Advisor under the Obama administration, she has been Director of the California Office of Small Business Defense since 2019
Neera Tanden
Head of the White House Budget Office
Current CEO of the Center for American Progress think tank, she served as a senior advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services and director of domestic policy for Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield
UN Ambassador
With 35 years of experience in American diplomacy, she held positions in seven countries and served as Assistant Secretary for African Affairs in the Obama administration.
Cecilia rouse
Chairman of the Council of Economic Consultants
A progressive economist at Princeton University, he served on the board of trustees – which serves as the president’s internal research body on economic issues – under the Obama administration
John Kerry *
Special Envoy for the Climate
A veteran of the Vietnam War, he served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration and counts the Paris Agreement in 2015 among his environmental policy achievements.
Jake Sullivan *
National Security Advisor
Younger to hold the post, he succeeded Antony Blinken as then-Vice President Biden’s National Security Advisor and State Department Head of Planning under Hillary Clinton.
Brian Deese *
Director of the National Economic Council
Leader of the Black Rock group, he was senior climate and energy policy adviser under the Obama administration, assisting in the negotiation of the Paris Agreement
Susan Rice *
Director of the Domestic Policy Council
Obama’s National Security Advisor, Foreign Policy Expert and United States Ambassador to the UN
Gina McCarthy *
National environmental policy coordinator
With more than 30 years of experience in the fields of environment and health, she was a professor at Harvard University and head of the Environmental Protection Agency under Obama’s leadership.
Jeff Zients *
Coronavirus Working Group Coordinator
A well-known Washington businessman, he was director of the National Economic Council and deputy director of the White House Budget Office.
Vivek Murthy
Director of Public Health
He held the same position between 2014 and 2017, under the Obama administration, when he helped manage the Ebola and Zika virus epidemics, in addition to the opioid crisis.
Juan Gonzalez *
Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council
Heading the portfolio for Latin America issues, the Colombian was director of the National Security Council for Latin America issues between 2011 and 2013, under the Obama administration, and criticizes the agenda. environmental management Jair Bolsonaro (no broken)
* candidates who do not need the approval of the US Congress