But in Burns—a 33-year veteran of the Foreign Service, only the second career diplomat to become deputy secretary of state, a former ambassador to Russia and Jordan—Biden got a spymaster with an unusual set of skills.

No one would ever refer to CIA Director William J. Burns as “Wild Bill,” the nickname of William J. Donovan, who led the OSS, the agency’s swashbuckling predecessor, during World War II. But the self-effacing Burns has bravely commanded a CIA force in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago.

KELLY: That would be Bill Burns. Elsewhere on the show today ... First, another pressing priority... China and the recent cyberattack by China into U.S. phone companies - the Salt Typhoon attack ...

With less than two weeks remaining before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, Mr. Burns is raising the administration’s concerns about Russia, as well as China’s alignment with Iran ...

Outgoing US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said the Chinese government is making a mistake in being so belligerent and intimidating toward Taiwan, and that he believes it would be better for the Chinese government to talk to President William Lai ...

In a wide-ranging exit interview, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly asks Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns about the resurgence of ISIS, and what's next for the intel community.

For four years, the Biden Administration has said there is only one country that has both the intention and capacity to reshape the international order in its favor. That country is China. Nick Schifrin spoke with Ambassador Nicholas Burns,

Words matter, but looking back on his time as the head of the world’s most important spy agency, Burns also had numbers on his mind. By his own count, he had made 84 trips overseas during his four years as director of the CIA.

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with the outgoing U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns. He says China faces certain challenges, like a slowing economy and a declining population.

RUBICON THEATRE has announced a three-play WinterFest as part of the company's 2024/2025 “Dare to Dream” season. The first two plays in the festival celebrate a new collaboration between RUBICON THEATRE COMPANY and THE ACTING COMPANY (TAC) of New York.

John Ratcliffe, US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the CIA, pledged on Wednesday that, should he be approved to lead the spy agency, he would intensify its focus on China and emerging technologies.

John Ratcliffe, Donald Trump's pick for director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), believes that Russia's war against Ukraine puts the United States at risk of entering into a conflict with a "nuclear power".