President Joe Biden proposed Karen Donfried for the position of assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs months after he took office.
She had been serving as the president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) since 2014 at the time. Before joining GMF, she spent 10 years as a European expert, providing her the skills she required for the post.
Donfried has worked as Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s assistant secretary since the Senate approved her appointment in September 2021.
Dr. Donfried chose to resign from her job at the end of the month, according to a Blinken announcement made on March 20. The secretary expressed appreciation for Donfried’s work throughout her 18-month employment in his announcement on her leaving.
During a challenging moment in Europe, he said she performed her duties as assistant secretary with “utmost skill and commitment.” Blinken described Donfried as a solid leader with moral character, high standards, and a comprehensive knowledge of public policy. He then wished her well and thanked her for her assistance.
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried is stepping down, the admin has announced pic.twitter.com/QT2N2hJhWv
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) March 20, 2023
In order to focus more on her family, Dr. Donfried was leaving her post. Whoever takes over as assistant secretary is yet to be determined, but they will have enormous shoes to fill.
According to the news source, the individual was one of Blinken’s most senior assistants and had successfully handled crucial American connections with “important allies and partners” in Europe.
Strong ties between the US and its allies in Europe are “one of the country’s greatest assets,” the assistant secretary stated during her confirmation hearing.
Donfried worked in government under the administrations of several presidents. Under former President Barack Obama, she served as senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, and under former President George W. Bush, she was a member of the State Department’s policy planning team. No official statement has been made by the doctor regarding her departure.
