President-elect Joe Biden is reportedly considering Darrell Blocker for the role of director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Fox News first reported that Blocker is one of the names being considered, noting that he is “one of the highest-serving persons of color to have served in the clandestine service.”
If appointed, Blocker would be the first Black person to serve in the high-ranking position.
Blocker has 30-plus years of experience in the U.S. intelligence community. A frequent ABC News contributor, he specializes in counterterrorism, security and intelligence, with a focus on Africa, Iran and North Korea. He’s served in 10 foreign countries: Italy, Morocco, Nigeria, Okinawa, South Korea, Niger, Senegal, Uganda, Pakistan and Switzerland.
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Blocker was previously the chief of the CIA operational training facility, deputy director of the Counterterrorism Center, chief of Africa Division and chief of station, “the highest honor for his career track,” according to his bio.
He retired from the CIA in 2018 and became the chief operating officer of MOSAIC, an acronym for Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company, and is an executive coach and public speaker.
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He was awarded the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal upon his retirement.
A Santa Monica resident, Blocker serves on the board of two nonprofit groups: Peace4Kids, a foster care organization, and HumanSlavery.com, which works to end the exploitation of women and youth due to human trafficking.
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Last year, Blocker told ABC News last year that he often combined his work with his personal passion: Singing.
“My clandestine activities were enhanced by being viewed as a singer,” he said, “because who would ever think that one could be both?”
Blocker maintains that both his day job and his lifelong passion have a lot of similarities.
“They’re both very intimate … intimate in the sense that, if you are truly paying attention and listening to whoever is sitting across from you, they will know it,” he said, “and they will know that you’re sincere.”
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Former National Security Adviser Tom Donilon and former Acting CIA Director Michael Morrell are also reportedly being considered to lead the organization.
Gina Haspel, the current head of the CIA, is out of favor with President Donald Trump‘s administration. Word has it he has publicly considered firing her during the lame-duck session before Biden’s inauguration.
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