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Biden taps Samantha Power to lead USAID

“She will work with our partners to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, lift up vulnerable communities ... and advance American ideals and interests around the globe,” said President-elect Joe Biden.

Samantha Power. Photo by Eric Bridiers.
Samantha Power. Photo by Eric Bridiers.

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he will nominate former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“As USAID administrator, 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,” said Biden in a statement.

Biden will elevate the administrator role to membership status on the National Security Council.

As U.S. ambassador to Turtle Bay, Power was criticized for allowing a vote on a resolution that condemned Israel to pass the U.N. Security Council.

The Israeli defense minister first unveiled the plan in late December 2025.
The contested text describes Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack as a “genocide” and states that Israel is a “colonial enterprise built on racism.”
Israel does not have a formal written constitution and Basic Laws have quasi-constitutional status.
The Board of Deputies said that the action “will better enable the authorities to protect our community and others from the threats this organization presents.”
European foreign ministers had gathered in Brussels to discuss a possible ban on imports of goods.
A group led by Rear Adm. Guy Levy met with American and global counterparts, and visited Annapolis to advance cooperation and cadet exchanges.