WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that he had met with President-Elect Joe Biden’s Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken to facilitate an orderly transition.
“Today, I met with President-Elect @JoeBiden’s Secretary-Designate @ABlinken in order to facilitate an orderly transition, and to ensure American interests are protected abroad,” Pompeo tweeted. Pompeo called the meeting “very productive”, adding that they would continue to work together on behalf of America throughout the transition. According to media reports, Pompeo and Blinken were scheduled to meet in mid-December, but the meeting was canceled after Pompeo went into quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Their meeting came one day after President Donald Trump acknowledged defeat in the 2020 White House race with Biden and promised an orderly transition of power to the Democrat’s administration.
The outgoing Republican president has been under bipartisan criticism for the role in massive demonstrations that led to at least five deaths and dozens of injuries following a chaotic and violent breach of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday when lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. Blinken, 58, served as Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Secretary of State under former president Barack Obama. A close aide to Biden for nearly two decades, Blinken was one of Biden’s first cabinet picks.
