The Cable

The Cable goes inside the foreign policy machine, from Foggy Bottom to Turtle Bay, the White House to Embassy Row.

White House to appoint Kerry advisor Danny Sepulveda to State Department post

The White House is set to announce the nomination of Danny Sepulveda for U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy, The Cable has learned, a title that will bring the rank of ambassador. Sepulveda, a cancer survivor and fellow biking buddy of Secretary of State John Kerry, worked in his Senate office as a ...

The White House is set to announce the nomination of Danny Sepulveda for U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy, The Cable has learned, a title that will bring the rank of ambassador. Sepulveda, a cancer survivor and fellow biking buddy of Secretary of State John Kerry, worked in his Senate office as a senior adviser from 2009 to 2012 dealing with commerce and trade.

The White House is set to announce the nomination of Danny Sepulveda for U.S. coordinator for international communications and information policy, The Cable has learned, a title that will bring the rank of ambassador. Sepulveda, a cancer survivor and fellow biking buddy of Secretary of State John Kerry, worked in his Senate office as a senior adviser from 2009 to 2012 dealing with commerce and trade.

The position requires Senate confirmation and is likely to be announced by the White House today. As of late, Sepulveda has been working as a senior adviser for temporary Senator William "Mo" Cowan. Before joining Kerry’s staff, Sepulveda served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative and also served in then-Senator Barack Obama‘s office managing trade, commerce, labor, ethics and lobbying issues.

A source tells The Cable that Sepulveda and Kerry are close, and have been known to engage in "spontaneous" bike races in Washington’s Rock Creek Park. Sepulveda’s longtime girlfriend is Heather Higginbottom, former deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, who was recently hired to be Kerry’s counselor.

More from Foreign Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?

The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.
Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World

It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

It’s a New Great Game. Again.

Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.
Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing

The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.