Rahm Emanuel being considered by Biden administration for high-profile ambassadorship, report

The former chief of staff and mayor of Chicago could potentially serve in China or Japan.

Published: February 2, 2021 8:00am

Updated: February 2, 2021 9:49pm

President Biden is considering former Chicago Democratic Mayor and top Obama administration staffer Rham Emanuel for a top ambassadorship, potentially to China or Japan, according to news reports.

Emanuel was President Obama's first chief of staff and maintains a reputation as a powerful political player that would bring attention to the diplomatic post. There is ample recent precedent for sending big-name political figures as ambassadors to both Japan (Walter Mondale, Caroline Kennedy) and China (former Montana Democratic Senator Max Baucus, former Iowa GOP Governor Terry Branstad). During Emanuel's time in the Obama White House, former Utah GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman was named ambassador to China.

Obama picked Emanuel for the key White House post in 2009, when he was a House member. Two years later, he departed to run for mayor of Chicago, a position he won and held until 2019.

Emanuel has reportedly been ruled out as the potential ambassador to Israel, due to his shaky relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.