President-elect Joe Biden formally introduced his picks for several high-ranking administration positions on Friday. Among them was former Obama-era UN ambassador Susan Rice to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council.
Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris introduced the latest round of cabinet nominees in a press conference at Biden's transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
Rice served as President Barack Obama's U.N. ambassador during his first term, from 2009 to 2013. She later served as Obama's national security adviser in his second term, from 2013 to 2017.
Rice is the type of experienced bureaucrat that Biden has been eyeing for a Cabinet-level position, but she also comes with some political baggage, considering her involvement in handling the aftermath of the Benghazi attacks in Libya in 2012. With, at most, a razor-thin majority in the Senate, Biden has opted to grant Rice a position that does not require confirmation.
Biden also introduced Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, as his pick to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Fudge has served in Congress for five terms, representing the Cleveland area.
On Friday, Biden also introduced Denis McDonough as his pick to run Veterans Affairs, Katherine Tai as his pick for U.S. Trade Representative and Tom Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary.