Biden nominates career diplomat William Burns to head CIA

Biden nominates career diplomat William Burns to head CIA

(Monitor)

President-elect Joe Biden has selected career diplomat William J. Burns as his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, the transition committee said in a press release Monday.

Burns, who has served in the Middle East and Russia, will inherit the country’s premier intelligence agency as cybersecurity and espionage from rival nations like China, Iran and Russia will be of chief concern to the incoming Biden administration.

The Biden transition contended Burns was well prepared the challenge, noting “he has the experience and skill to marshal efforts across government and around the world to ensure the CIA is positioned to protect the American people.”

Burns “shares my profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving our nation deserve our gratitude and respect,” Biden said in a statement. “Ambassador Burns will bring the knowledge, judgment, and perspective we need to prevent and confront threats before they can reach our shores.”