Raimondo Joins Council on Foreign Relations - Setting Stage for Next Political Move?

Raimondo Joins Council on Foreign Relations - Setting Stage for Next Political Move?

Former United States Secretary of Commerce - and former Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo - will be joining the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as a "Distinguished Fellow" in the Washington, DC office. 

The move to CFR by Raimondo could be a key indicator she intends to stay in the field of public affairs - and politics. In 2024, the New York Times identified Raimondo as "an emerging leader of the Democrats."

With the defeat of Kamala Harris last November, Raimondo was ousted as Secretary, and speculation of her eyeing a Presidential run as a more "moderate" Democrat in 2028 has continued to mount. 

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Frank Bruni, columnist for the New York Times and Raimondo booster, put her on his short-list for a potential 2028 Democratic candidates just a week after last November's election.

Raimondo will "lend her leadership and experience as co-chair of a new CFR Task Force on economic security," according to the CFR. In addition, Raimondo will be "conducting work on economic policy, U.S. competitiveness, and artificial intelligence."

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to join Michael and this remarkable group of experts at CFR to help lead conversations around U.S. economic and national security challenges as our nation turns the page to a new chapter,” said Raimondo. “I look forward to getting to work and engaging Council members and members of the public across a broad spectrum to foster discussion and collaboration on many pressing issues, especially those most personal to me under the purview of economic security and American competitiveness.”

"Founded in 1921, CFR is a nonpartisan, independent national membership organization, think tank, educator, and publisher, including of Foreign Affairs. It generates policy-relevant ideas and analysis, convenes experts and policymakers, and promotes informed public discussion—all to have impact on the most consequential issues facing the United States and the world," says CFR.

 

CFR on Raimondo

CFR, in its release, said that U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo "implemented landmark economic policies and united the dynamic tools at the U.S. Department of Commerce to enhance American innovation and national security so the United States is positioned to meet the challenges of the twenty-first-century economy."

"Some of those actions included robust and targeted investments to reshore U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, secure global supply chains, connect everyone in the United States to reliable internet, safeguard the U.S. tech ecosystem, bolster regional economic competitiveness, and much more," said CFR. 

“I am delighted to welcome Gina to the Council,” said CFR President Michael Froman. “Having such an accomplished public servant helping drive our work on a wide range of economic security issues will significantly bolster CFR’s mission of informing U.S. engagement with the world and help drive key initiatives in this pivotal moment.”