:R. Nicholas Burns

Burns was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Burns attended Wellesley High School,{{cite web |url=http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2003/ft_diplomat.html |title=The diplomat |author=Charles Truehart |work=Boston College Magazine |date=Winter 2003}} and studied abroad in Luxembourg in 1973 with the American Field Service Program. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with a concentration in European history, from Boston College. He also studied abroad at the University of Paris. He received a master's degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1980 in international relations concentrating on international economics, American foreign policy, and Africa.

He speaks French, Arabic, Greek, and English.{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2004 |title=R. Nicholas Burns, SAIS '80: Ambassador Sees the Role of NATO Evolving |url=https://pages.jh.edu/jhumag/0204web/alumnews.html |access-date=July 31, 2024 |website=Johns Hopkins Magazine}}

File:Defense.gov News Photo 031202-F-2828D-413.jpg at NATO headquarters in Brussels on December 2, 2003]]

File:IMSC Future-of-NATO Zwez 5F3A1237.jpg in 2016]]

Prior to entering the Foreign Service, Burns worked as program officer at A.T. International, a nonprofit organization specializing in economic assistance for Third World countries.

Burns began his Foreign Service career in Africa and the Middle East. He was an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Vice Consul and Staff Assistant to the Ambassador in Cairo, Egypt, from 1983 to 1985, and then political officer at the American Consulate General in Jerusalem from 1985 to 1987, where his second daughter Elizabeth was born in 1986. In this position, he coordinated U.S. economic assistance to the Palestinian population in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Under President George H. W. Bush, he was director for Soviet and then, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russian affairs. During this time, he attended all U.S.–Soviet summits and numerous other international meetings and specialized on economic assistance issues, U.S. ties with Russia and Ukraine, and relations with the Baltic countries. He was a member of the Department's Transition Team in 1988, and served as Staff Officer in the Department's Operations Center and Secretariat in 1987–1988.

Burns served for five years (1990–1995) on the National Security Council staff at the White House. He was special assistant to President Bill Clinton and Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia Affairs. He had lead responsibility in the White House for advising the president on all aspects of U.S. relations with the fifteen countries of the former Soviet Union.

From 1995 to 1997, Burns was Spokesman of the Department of State and Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Secretary Madeleine Albright. In this position, he gave daily press conferences on U.S. foreign policy issues, accompanied both Secretaries of State on all their foreign trips and coordinated all of the department's public outreach programs.

From 1997 to 2001, Burns was the United States Ambassador to Greece.{{cite web |title=PN596 — R. Nicholas Burns — Department of State 105th Congress (1997-1998) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/105th-congress/596?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22burns%22%2C%22burns%22%5D%7D&s=3&r=2 |website=US Congress |access-date=March 22, 2022}} During his tenure as Ambassador, the U.S. expanded its military and law enforcement cooperation with Greece, strengthened their partnership in the Balkans, and increased trade investment and people-to-people programs.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

Burns supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq.{{cite news |title=Speaking in Sturbridge, former diplomat Nicholas Burns says China poses biggest challenge for US |url=https://www.telegram.com/article/20151022/news/151029601 |work=Telegram & Gazette |date=October 22, 2015 |access-date=January 14, 2019 |archive-date=April 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415220133/https://www.telegram.com/article/20151022/news/151029601 |url-status=dead }} Prior to his final assignment, Burns was the United States Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.{{cite web |title=PN667 — R. Nicholas Burns — Department of State 107th Congress (2001-2002) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/107th-congress/667?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22nicholas+burns%22%2C%22nicholas%22%2C%22burns%22%5D%7D&s=10&r=1 |website=US Congress |access-date=March 22, 2022}} As Ambassador to NATO, he headed the combined State-Defense Department U.S. Mission to NATO at a time when the Alliance committed to new missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Global War Against Terrorism, and accepted seven new members.

On January 18, 2008, Burns announced his retirement from the Foreign Service effective March 2008. The reason cited was to go back to family concerns and to pursue other opportunities outside of government.{{cite news | first=Zacharia | last=Janine |author2=Viola Gienger | title=Burns, Rice's Point Man on Iran and India Talks, to Resign Post | date=2008-01-18 | publisher=Bloomberg | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ax2Vvw80Vs6o&refer=home | access-date=2008-01-18}}{{cite web | url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/01/99478.htm | title=Announcement of Departure of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns | date=2008-01-18 | publisher=U.S. Department of State | access-date=2008-01-18 }} A White House press statement stated that Burns would continue to serve in an advisory capacity as the United States Special Envoy in finalizing the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.

After leaving government service Burns started working for the Cohen Group, an international business consulting firm. {{Cite web|url=http://www.cohengroup.net/what-we-do|title=What We Do|publisher=The Cohen Group|access-date=2020-08-12}}

At Harvard Kennedy School, Burns has taught courses in diplomacy, American foreign policy, and international politics. He is a strong advocate for diplomacy, and has argued that the United States "should make a very strong effort to get to the negotiating table with Iran".{{cite web | url=http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/18618/ | title=Q&A with Nicholas Burns | date=Winter 2008–2009| publisher=Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School | access-date=2008-10-30}} Burns is also an active speaker on the lecture circuit and in 2013 gave the lecture at the year's installment of the Waldo Family Lecture Series on International Relations at Old Dominion University.{{cite web|title=Waldo Family Lecture Series on International Relations Digital Collection|url=http://dc.lib.odu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/waldoseries|publisher=Old Dominion University|access-date=July 17, 2017}}

Burns said that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is a traitor: "He went to China and Russia. That is why I dislike Snowden". On the 2012 Benghazi attack, Burns defended Secretary of State Clinton, saying "I find it distasteful that Benghazi has been politicized." He endorsed Hillary Clinton's campaign for president.

Burns was a foreign policy adviser for the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign, and was an informal adviser to the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign. As a Bush advisor, Burns supported the Iraq War, though today he calls it "a pretty serious blunder." He is director of the Aspen Strategy Group, a forum of establishment foreign policy thinkers.{{Cite web|last=Grim|first=Ryan|date=2019-07-24|title=Joe Biden's New Foreign Policy Adviser Supported Iraq War and Dubbed Edward Snowden a "Traitor"|url=https://theintercept.com/2019/07/24/joe-biden-nicholas-burns-foreign-policy/|access-date=2020-08-12|website=The Intercept|language=en-US}}

Burns has also consulted and given paid speeches for the employees of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, State Street, CitiBank, Honeywell, and a number of other companies, universities, and associations. In 2025, he signed on as an exclusive speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau. {{cite web|title=Washington Speakers Bureau Welcomes Ambassador Nicholas Burns: Bridging the Divide for U.S.-China Business Success |url=https://www.kxan.com/business/press-releases/cision/20250220PH23648/washington-speakers-bureau-welcomes-ambassador-nicholas-burns-bridging-the-divide-for-u-s-china-business-success/|website=KXAN|date=February 20, 2025 |access-date=March 20, 2025}}

File:Deputy Secretary Sherman Swears in Ambassador Burns (51843384595).jpg in January 2022]]

File:Ambassador Burns meeting with Heilongjiang Governor Liang Huiling.jpg Governor Liang Huiling in February 2024]]

In August 2021, Burns was nominated by the Biden administration to serve as Ambassador to China.{{Cite news |last=Karni |first=Annie |date=August 20, 2021 |title=Biden Nominates Burns and Emanuel to Be His Ambassadors to China and Japan |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/20/us/politics/biden-emanuel-burns-china-japan.html}} The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings on his nomination on October 20, 2021. The committee favorably reported his nomination to the Senate floor on November 3, 2021. Republican Senator Marco Rubio had stalled Burns's nomination, citing his business relationships in China.{{Cite web|title=Marco Rubio blocks Biden's nominee for ambassador to China|url=https://news.yahoo.com/marco-rubio-blocks-bidens-nominee-212921335.html|access-date=2021-11-18|website=news.yahoo.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Pierce|first=Charles P.|date=2021-11-17|title=Marco Rubio Is Burnishing His Nihilist Credentials in a Political Party Gone Mad|url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a38278097/marco-rubio-block-china-ambassador-nominee/|access-date=2021-11-18|website=Esquire|language=en-US}}

Burns was confirmed by the Senate on December 16, 2021, by a vote of 75–18.{{cite web |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: R. Nicholas Burns, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the People's Republic of China) |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00503.htm |access-date=20 December 2021 |website=US Senate}} He presented his credentials to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on April 1, 2022.{{cite tweet|user=USAmbChina|first=Nicholas|last=Burns|number=1510123997895168003|title=I presented a copy of my credentials today at the Foreign Ministry as the U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China.|access-date=2022-04-09}} He also presented his credentials to Chinese president Xi Jinping on April 25, 2023.{{Cite news |last=Ching |first=Nike |date=26 April 2023 |title=China Accepts US Envoy's Credentials More Than a Year After His Arrival |work=Voice of America |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/china-accepts-us-envoy-s-credentials-more-than-a-year-after-his-arrival/7066503.html |access-date=24 May 2023}}

Burns was involved in the June 2023 meeting between American and Chinese officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang, that aimed to re-establish diplomatic communications after the bilateral relationship had worsened in preceding years and months, including after the US downing of a Chinese high-altitude balloon in February 2023.{{cite web |last1=Wei |first1=Lingling |title=After Months of Cold Shoulder, China Welcomes Blinken to Beijing |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-months-of-cold-shoulder-china-welcomes-blinken-to-beijing-84b51627?mod=hp_lead_pos4 |website=The Wall Street Journal}}

In July 2023, it was reported that Burns's email account had been hacked in a breach of Microsoft emails by the Chinese government.{{Cite news |last=Volz |first=Dustin |last2=Strobel |first2=Warren P. |date=2023-07-20 |title=U.S. Ambassador to China Hacked in China-Linked Spying Operation |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-ambassador-to-china-hacked-in-china-linked-spying-operation-f03de3e4 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-07-21 |issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=July 21, 2023 |title=US ambassador to China and high level diplomat in East Asia targeted in recent cyberattack: Sources |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/us-ambassador-china-high-level-diplomat-east-asia/story?id=101547875 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=ABC News |language=en}}

On February 3, 2025, The Cohen Group announced that Burns will rejoin as a vice chair on February 17, 2025.{{Cite web |title=Ambassador Nicholas Burns to Rejoin The Cohen Group as a Vice Chair {{!}} The Cohen Group |url=https://cohengroup.net/ambassador-nicholas-burns-rejoin-cohen-group-vice-chair |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=cohengroup.net |language=en}}

Burns and his wife Elizabeth Baylies have three daughters and two grandchildren.{{cite web|url=https://china.usembassy-china.org.cn/ambassador-nicholas-burns/|title=Nicholas Burns - Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China|website=U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China}}

Burns is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, The Trilateral Commission, American Academy of Diplomacy, The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Order of St. John, America Abroad Media advisory board,{{cite web |title=Advisory Board - Nick Burns |date=2011 |publisher=America Abroad Media |url=http://americaabroadmedia.org/user/167/Nick_Burns |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125120114/http://americaabroadmedia.org/user/167/Nick_Burns |archive-date=January 25, 2013 }} and is a lifelong member of Red Sox Nation.{{cite web

|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/nburns-bio.html

|title=R. Nicholas Burns

|publisher=U.S. Department of State

}}

• The Diplomat as Gardener, Foreign Affairs, February 19, 2021{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Nicholas |date=2021-02-19 |title=The Diplomat as Gardener |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2021-02-19/diplomat-gardener |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Foreign Affairs |language=en-US |issn=0015-7120}}
• How to Lead in a Time of Pandemic, Foreign Affairs, March 25, 2020{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Nicholas |date=2020-03-25 |title=How to Lead in a Time of Pandemic |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/how-lead-time-pandemic |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Foreign Affairs |language=en-US |issn=0015-7120}}
• Passage to India, Foreign Affairs, August 11, 2014{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=Nicholas |date=2014-08-11 |title=Passage to India |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/india/2014-08-11/passage-india |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Foreign Affairs |language=en-US |issue=September/October 2014 |issn=0015-7120}}
• America’s Strategic Opportunity With India, Foreign Affairs, November 1, 2007{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=R. Nicholas |date=2007-11-01 |title=America's Strategic Opportunity With India |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/asia/2007-11-01/americas-strategic-opportunity-india |access-date=2024-01-23 |work=Foreign Affairs |language=en-US |issue=November/December 2007 |issn=0015-7120}}

• Fifteen honorary degrees
• Presidential Distinguished Service Award
• Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award
• 2017 Ignatian Award from Boston College
• 2016 New Englander of the Year from the New England Council
• Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service from the Johns Hopkins University
• Boston College Alumni Achievement Award
• Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award from Tufts University
• Trainor Award for Diplomacy by Georgetown University
• Communicator of the Year by the National Association of Government Communicators in 1997.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{C-SPAN|39453}}
• [https://www.belfercenter.org/person/nicholas-burns Nicholas Burns bio] at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center

;In the news

• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6208406.stm US diplomat calls for Iran action] {{--}} BBC, 2006
• [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/F3CA3AA6-6FA8-4A61-A5C6-D517EB5E7F5A.html 'Victorious' Kazakhs Told To Wait On OSCE Decision] {{--}} RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, December 05, 2006

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Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American diplomats

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