David Cohen: Biden summons former CIA deputy director to return to the role

David Cohen: Biden summons former CIA deputy director to return to the role

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Cohen served as number 2 in the CIA from 2015 to 2017 in the Obama administration. The position does not require confirmation from the Senate.

Earlier this week, Biden hired veteran American diplomat William Burns to head the agency. Since Burns would be the first leader in CIA history whose experience comes from the State Department, Cohen, as Burns’ deputy, has the most formal intelligence experience.

During his first stint as deputy director of the CIA, Cohen helped oversee the strategic modernization of the intelligence agency and led the collection of foreign intelligence. He ended his term in 2017 by receiving the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA’s highest honor.

Prior to joining the CIA, Cohen served in the Treasury Department as undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, where he played a vital role in combating illicit financing and in developing economic sanctions against foreign governments, including Russia, Iran and North Korea.

His office also developed the Obama administration’s plan to target ISIS and other terrorist organizations in the financial arena, earning him the nickname “Financial Batman” at the Obama White House.

In forming his government, Biden enlisted many former Obama-era officials with whom he worked or who have years of government experience.

Cohen is currently a partner at the private law firm WilmerHale in Washington, DC, where he practiced law before joining the Obama administration.

In 2019, Cohen made a brief surprise appearance as an unidentified Winterfell resident in HBO’s “Game of Thrones”.

This story has been updated with additional context information.

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