Sen. Murphy for secretary of state?
With a rising national profile on foreign policy, senator could be on the short list in a Biden presidency
As Election Day nears, Sen. Chris Murphy has emerged as a possible secretary of state if Joe Biden wins the presidency.
Political chatter in the Beltway places Murphy as a possible contender for Biden’s secretary of state, according to a Voxstory this past spring andaPolitico article published in recent days.
Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has increased his national profile on foreign policy issues in recent years, decrying the deterioration of American diplomacy under President Donald Trump and supporting anti-corruption measures across the globe.
“He keeps popping up on panels aboutforeign policy, penningcolumns on international affairs and pushing bills that put him at odds with President Donald Trumponglobalissues,” Politico wrote. “Murphy also happens to be a favorite of progressives trying to influence Biden’s personnel choices.’’
Earlier this year, Murphy met with Iran’s foreign minister in Germany in an effort to strengthen the United States’ relationship with Iran. “I think it’s dangerous to not talk to your enemies,” he wrote in an essay about the trip. “Discussions and negotiations are a way to ease tensions and reduce the chances for crisis. But Trump, of course, has no such interests.”
The visit elicited anger from President Donald Trump, who accused Murphy of violating the Logan Act, which prohibits U.S. citizens from interfering in foreign diplomacy.
Sen. Chris Coonsof Delaware, a Democrat, has indicated interest in the secretary of state position in a Biden administration, according to Politico. Other frequently cited names amidthe speculation include William Burns, a career diplomat and deputy secretary of state under President Barack Obama, Antony Blinken, a Biden campaign aide and former deputy secretary of state, and Susan Rice, the former national security adviser.
“Senator Murphy is honored to serve the people of Connecticut in the United States Senate,” Lia Albini, a spokesperson for Murphy, said in a statement Tuesday. “He knowsthereisplentytobedoneinhiscurrent job to reassert Congress’ role in foreign policymakingandhelooksforwardtocontinuingto serve as Connecticut’s voice in Washington.”