For the past three and a half years, I have relied on Derek Chollet’s wise counsel and steady hand to help me tackle some of the toughest issues facing the United States. Derek is a quintessential five-tool player. Over the course of his career, he has held positions in the national security community and academia, building a broad range of experience that the rest of us rely on every day. During his tenure at the State Department, he has taken on some of the most difficult diplomatic assignments, from the Balkans and Burma to Pakistan and Northern Ireland, and has played a key role in shaping our response to the crises in the Middle East over the past nine months.
Although I am saddened to lose Derek to my team at the State Department, I know the country will continue to benefit from his service at the Pentagon. Secretary Austin could not have made a better choice for his next Chief of Staff.
I am appointing Tom Sullivan to be the next Counselor of the United States Department of State. Tom has been my Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy since day one of my appointments, previously serving under Secretary Kerry. Tom has an unmatched depth of knowledge about the formulation and execution of national security policy, which he brings to the table every day on behalf of the American people. He has traveled with me around the world and accompanied me in meetings with heads of state, foreign ministers, and other world leaders as we rebuilt our alliances and partnerships, confronted Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, stabilized our relationship with China while standing up for American interests, and worked to build lasting peace, security, and stability in the Middle East. I look forward to leveraging his wisdom and knowledge in this new role.
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