Joe Biden

Biden to Nominate Samantha Power to Lead Foreign Aid Agency

Power, who was U.N. ambassador in the Obama administration, will run an agency that has been slashed and weakened by Trump

In this Jan. 17, 2017, file photo, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power speaks during a discussion at the Atlantic Council on "The Future of U.S.-Russia Relations" in Washington, D.C.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Signaling a dramatic new direction for U.S. foreign assistance, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to announce Wednesday that he will nominate former U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power to head the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to transition officials.

Biden is also expected to enhance Power's role by elevating the position to membership on the National Security Council.

In a prepared statement obtained by NBC News, Biden called Power "a world-renowned voice of conscience and moral clarity."

"As USAID Administrator," Biden said, "she will work with our partners to confront the Covid-19 pandemic, lift up vulnerable communities, fight for the value of every human being, and advance American ideals and interests around the globe."

The Biden Administration: A Look at Who Has Been Nominated

President-elect Joe Biden, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, has started to choose people to fill top positions in his administration.

Here's a look at how the administration is coming together. Click to read more.

Source: Staff reports

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

Contact Us