What Is Ex-RI Gov. Gina Raimondo's Next Gig After Leaving Presidential Cabinet?

PROVIDENCE, RI — Ex-Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, just a week after leaving former President Joe Biden's cabinet, has secured her next gig.

Raimondo, who served as Biden's secretary of commerce the last four years, will join the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as a distinguished fellow. The council is an influential think tank that was founded in 1921 and specializes in U.S. foreign policy and international trade.

According to the New York City-based council, Raimondo will be based at its office in Washington, D.C.

"I am delighted to welcome Gina to the Council," CFR President Michael Froman said. "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."

Raimondo served as Rhode Island's governor from 2015 to 2021 before joining Biden's cabinet. As secretary of commerce, Raimondo served as the point person for tens of billions of dollars in subsidies supporting the U.S. semiconductor industry, in an attempt to compete with China.

A recent column from The Economist argued Raimondo's work as point person, which was funded by the bipartisan CHIPS Act, "could end up as Mr. Biden's most lasting economy legacy."

"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," Raimondo said. "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."

CFR officials said Raiondo will co-chair a new task force on economic security and will also assist with research on economic policy, American competitiveness, and artificial intelligence.

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