Category: Nov2014

One of the pillars of the United States’ counter-ISIL strategy is building the capacity of local forces to take the fight to ISIL. We have been providing this support for Iraqi Security Forces through advise and assist programs; through the provision of weapons, equipment, and intelligence; and through airstrikes with our coalition partners to enable…

The President on Friday afternoon convened a call with Texas Governor Rick Perry, Texas Health Commissioner Dr. David Lakey, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to mark the end of the 21-day monitoring period for all of those in Dallas potentially exposed to Ebola. The President, who earlier in the day…

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts: Antony Blinken – Deputy Secretary, Department of State Adewale Adeyemo – Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development, Department of the Treasury David Avren Jones – Member, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board Michael D. Kennedy –…

Tony has served at the highest levels of government for two decades.  In his time as Deputy National Security Advisor, Tony has built bridges across the interagency community to forge consensus on a broad range of challenging policy issues.  He knows firsthand the critical contribution of expertise and leadership that agencies and their staffs bring…

I congratulate Tony Blinken on his nomination to serve as Deputy Secretary of State. He is a genuine superstar—admired and respected not only by the President and me, but by his counterparts in capitals in every region of the world. Like Bill Burns, Tony has a style and a manner that is conducive to getting…

Tomorrow, the President will announce his intent to nominate U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch to be the Attorney General of the United States. The President will make the announcement in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, and will be joined by Attorney General Holder and Ms. Lynch. Ms. Lynch is a strong, independent prosecutor who…

I’m proud to nominate Antony Blinken to be our next Deputy Secretary of State.  I’ve known and worked closely with Tony for the past decade, starting when I joined the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he was its Staff Director.  For the past six years, I’ve relied on Tony in the White House, where I’ve…

Via Telephone 3:36 P.M. EST MS. MEEHAN:  Hi, everybody.  Thanks very much for joining the call.  This is Bernadette.  This is a call with senior administration officials to discuss the administration’s updated overseas contingency operation request as well as the President’s decision to authorize the deployment of additional forces to Iraq.  This call will be…

The United States welcomes the formation of a new cabinet in Yemen and commends the efforts of President Hadi, Prime Minister Bahah, the country’s political leadership, and Yemen’s diverse communities to come together to form an inclusive government that can better meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people. We remain firmly committed to supporting all…

We are very concerned by intensified fighting in eastern Ukraine, as well as numerous reports, including from the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), that Russian backed and supplied separatists are moving large convoys of heavy weapons and tanks to the front lines of the conflict.  We continue…