9 months ago
Former State Department spokesperson Ned Price will be the next deputy to Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, his soon-to-be boss confirmed to POLITICO.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Price will manage the mission’s Washington office. “His judgment and expertise will be a tremendous asset to me and the entire USUN team,” she said in a statement.
Asked about the move, Price added: “I’m humbled and honored to serve Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and the broader administration in this position. America has tremendous capacity for good within the U.N. and broader multilateral system, and I look forward to helping drive our agenda with allies and partners.”
Price steps into the role as the U.S. faces tough scrutiny at international forums such as the United Nations over Washington’s continued support for Israel against the militant group Hamas. A top United Nations court is investigating South Africa’s allegations that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a claim both the U.S. and Israel deny.
The Biden administration is also trying to use U.N. mechanisms to maintain diplomatic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine — a mission complicated by the fact both Washington and Moscow have veto power at the U.N. Security Council.
Price, currently a senior adviser to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will bring his years of experience in foreign policy. A former CIA analyst, Price held top communications roles at the White House during the Obama administration. His profile grew in Washington circles after he wrote a 2017 Washington Post op-ed explaining that he was leaving the CIA because of Donald Trump’s presidency.
He went on to co-found National Security Action, a group dedicated to preparing the next Democratic presidential nominee to defeat Trump and establish a more progressive foreign policy. Jeffrey Prescott, whom Price is succeeding in the new deputy role, led that organization day-to-day, with now-national security adviser Jake Sullivan serving as a key figure.
Price then made a greater name for himself — and often drew criticism — under the Biden administration as the State Department spokesperson, handling questions on everything from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to defending Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. Blinken has heaped praise on him in the past.
“Ned has helped the U.S. government defend and promote press freedom around the globe and modeled the transparency and openness we advocate for in other countries,” Blinken said in March 2023, as Price was due to leave the spokesperson’s role. “He’s performed with extraordinary professionalism and integrity.”
The deputy role is not a Senate-confirmed position. Price will start the new role shortly after the departure of Prescott, who was recently confirmed to represent the United States before U.N. food and agriculture agencies in Rome.
Once he begins, Price will attend deputy-level interagency meetings on various topics, giving him more sway over U.S. foreign policy at least through January next year after the presidential election.
English (US)