No new powers granted, foreign media: symbolic move, Biden elevates CIA director to cabinet member Burns | Biden | member
US President Biden announced on July 21st that he has invited CIA Director Burns to become a member of his cabinet. For a long time, Burns has been one of Biden's closest advisors on national security and foreign policy.
According to Reuters, Biden issued a statement on the 21st stating that the CIA, led by Burns, "provides a clear and long-term approach to the primary national security challenges we face.". According to the analysis, Biden here refers to dealing with the Russia-Ukraine conflict and handling major country relations.
The Washington Post analyzed that elevating Burns to cabinet membership is largely symbolic and will not give him any new power.
However, this shows Burns' influence in the Biden administration. The CIA is one of the first agencies in the US intelligence department to predict the possible Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Ge Laiyi, the head of the "Indo Pacific" project at the German Marshall Foundation in the United States, said that this move reflects Biden's confidence in Burns and his professional experience. According to Ge Laiyi, Burns became the first professional diplomat to serve as the Director of the CIA in 2021, "making significant contributions to national security decision-making.".
Burns, who is 67 years old, has long served in the US diplomatic service and has been appointed as the US Ambassador to Jordan and Russia. He also served as Deputy Secretary of State during the Obama administration. According to reports, Burns was not the first CIA director to enter the cabinet. Former Presidents Clinton and Reagan have both elevated their CIA directors to the level of cabinet members during their tenure.