Joe Biden Proposes CIA Director William Burns to be a part of His Cabinet

President Joe Biden on Friday, asked CIA Director William Burns to team up and become part of his cabinet.

“Under his leadership, the CIA is delivering a clear-eyed, long-term approach to our nation’s top national security challenges,” Biden said in a statement, referring to Burns’ approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and U.S. competition with China.

The move was reported earlier by the Washington Post, which stated it was largely a symbolic move and would get not get Burns any new authority or ability.

William Burns, become the first career diplomat to lead the CIA in 2021. Bonnie Glaser, head of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States said “Burns has made a significant contribution to national security decision-making, especially with regard to Russia and China”.

To consider, Burns is not the first CIA director to attain cabinet status. Former President Bill Clinton has also named his CIA directors – John Deutch and George Tenet to serve in his cabinet.