Biden CIA nominee Burns faces easy path to US Senate confirmation | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
June 13, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025
Biden CIA nominee Burns faces easy path to US Senate confirmation

World+Biz

Reuters
24 February, 2021, 10:20 pm
Last modified: 24 February, 2021, 10:23 pm

Related News

  • Fakhrul-led BNP delegation to begin China tour on 24 June
  • Deal to get US-China trade truce back on track is done, Trump says
  • Denmark approves US military bases on Danish soil as Trump eyes Greenland
  • US to pull some personnel from the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran
  • Troops in LA can detain individuals, military official says, as protests spread

Biden CIA nominee Burns faces easy path to US Senate confirmation

Burns, 64, a former career diplomat who worked in both Democratic and Republican administrations, has already been confirmed by the Senate five times for his stints as ambassador to Jordan and Russia and three senior positions at the State Department

Reuters
24 February, 2021, 10:20 pm
Last modified: 24 February, 2021, 10:23 pm
William Burns. Picture: Collected
William Burns. Picture: Collected

US President Joe Biden's nominee to be director of the CIA, William Burns, is expected to sail through his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, with discussion largely focused on challenges from China and Russia and threats from international hacking networks.

Burns, 64, a former career diplomat who worked in both Democratic and Republican administrations, has already been confirmed by the Senate five times for his stints as ambassador to Jordan and Russia and three senior positions at the State Department.

In his testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Burns was expected to outline his four top priorities - "people, partnerships, China and technology" - if he is confirmed to head the agency, according to a US official familiar with the issue.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Competition with China is a top priority for the Biden administration - and for members of Congress, who want a tough line toward Beijing. Russian aggression is a constant concern, especially its involvement in US elections and the recent SolarWinds hack that penetrated government agencies and that US officials have blamed on Russian hackers.

Burns will also note that he often worked with the Central Intelligence Agency during his years as a diplomat. "He understands the mission and knows the people. It means politics will stop where intelligence work begins," the official said.

Some of that experience came in an area that could draw fire from Republicans. Burns and Jake Sullivan, who is now Biden's national security adviser, led secret talks with Iran in 2013 that helped pave the way for the international nuclear deal that has been blasted by Republicans.

The Biden administration offered last week to sit down with the Iranians and other parties to the 2015 pact to see if there is a way to return to the agreement, after Trump withdrew in 2018.

Burns' arrival at the CIA would come after a difficult four years under former President Donald Trump, a Republican who frequently disregarded spy agencies' findings, especially the determination that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to boost his chances of winning the White House.

Senator Mark Warner, the committee's Democratic chairman, will stress that point in his opening remarks.

"I would like to hear how you plan to reinforce the credo that – no matter the political pressure, no matter what – CIA's officers will always do the right thing and speak truth to power," he will ask Burns, according to his prepared remarks.

Biden has been able to get most of his national security team into place with support from many Senate Republicans as well as Democrats. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines all easily won confirmation.

CIA / China / USA

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Infographics: TBS
    Lengthy legal road ahead to repatriate Saifuzzaman's wealth from UK
  • From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
    From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290

MOST VIEWED

  • Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
    Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
  • Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Photo: Collected
    UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ
  • File Photo of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus: UNB
    Prof Yunus to receive Harmony Award from King Charles today
  • Infofgraphics: TBS
    DGHS issues 11-point directive to prevent spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Bangladesh mulls settlements with tycoons over offshore wealth: BB governor tells FT

Related News

  • Fakhrul-led BNP delegation to begin China tour on 24 June
  • Deal to get US-China trade truce back on track is done, Trump says
  • Denmark approves US military bases on Danish soil as Trump eyes Greenland
  • US to pull some personnel from the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran
  • Troops in LA can detain individuals, military official says, as protests spread

Features

Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

1d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

2d | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

3d | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

5d | Bangladesh

More Videos from TBS

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

9h | Podcast
What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

10h | TBS World
Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

11h | TBS Insight
Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

11h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net