![]() ![]() Progressives, who have pressured Biden to also represent the left wing of the Democratic Party in his Cabinet, raised more questions on Monday about Flournoy’s views. “Everyone in the defense policy world loves Michèle, and in a weird way I think it gives you some pause.” “Have you just been there too long? Do you know too many people? And are you unable to enact the kind of progressive change Biden is looking for?” said the former national security official who is tracking the transition closely. Some members of the Biden team are concerned Flournoy, who served as Obama’s Pentagon policy chief, is too entrenched to enact progressive change. The think tank she co-founded, the Center for a New American Security, also relies heavilyon funding from defense contractors.Īlthough Flournoy is widely seen as the person most qualified for the job, her years of experience in the Pentagon and defense community may actually work against her. The two co-founded WestExec, a strategic consulting firm that keeps its client list a closely guarded secret. The selection on Monday of Tony Blinken as Biden’s secretary of State could further cloud her prospects. The Biden transition team declined to comment.īiden is also under pressure to look elsewhere in part due to Flournoy’s ties to the defense industry - she has worked for multiple defense consulting firms and in 2017 co-founded WestExec Advisers, which helps defense companies market their products to the Pentagon - and her support for Obama’s Afghanistan surge, a move that Biden opposed. Johnson and Flournoy did not respond to requests for comment. ![]() ![]() The sense is: “Let’s not be rushed here.” “Michèle is still at the top of the list but they still want to keep looking - and that’s a change,” said a former senior national security official tracking the transition closely. He would be the first Black Defense secretary in an administration that has promised a diverse Cabinet. Two former Obama White House officials who remain close to Biden said he never developed the kind of strong personal relationship with Flournoy that he has sought in his Cabinet picks, and once the dust settled after the election, Biden began leaning toward exploring other options.Īnother top contender is Jeh Johnson, Obama’s second secretary of Homeland Security, the people said. ![]()
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