By Humeyra Pamuk
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, visited the State Department for the first time on Thursday, taking part in his first meetings and briefings at the building since the election.
Blinken was not expected to meet in person with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is quarantining after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. It was not immediately clear if the two would have a virtual meeting.
A transition team spokesman said Blinken and his team were following strict COVID-19 protocols during the visit, adding that the trusted Biden aide was expected to continue to attend occasional in-person meetings at the department over the coming weeks.
The State Department on Wednesday said that Pompeo was quarantining, but did not answer further queries about how or when Pompeo came into contact with the infected individual or whether he was displaying symptoms.
After weeks of waiting, President Donald Trump’s administration in November cleared the way for Biden to transition to the White House, giving him access to briefings and funding even as Trump vowed to continue fighting the election results.
Blinken, a longtime Biden confidant, served as No. 2 at the State Department and as deputy national security adviser in President Barack Obama’s administration.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis)
