Who are his candidates for the presidential team?

Secretary of State

Susan Rice, a former national security adviser, has been touted as a potential appointee to the country’s top diplomatic role. Ms Rice has significant foreign policy experience and knows Mr Biden well from their time together in the Obama administration and could also be offered a post at Homeland Security or the Pentagon. 

Chris Coons, who occupies Mr Biden’s former Delaware senate seat and is one of his closest confidantes in Washington, has also been tipped for the Secretary of State role. 

UN ambassador  

Pete Buttigieg, a former Democratic presidential candidate, may be in line for the post of UN ambassador. Mr Buttigieg, a young but talented politician, shares Mr Biden’s desire to increase America’s standing on the global stage. However, Mr Buttigieg has no experience of federal government – his most recent position was at the mayor of South Bend, a small town in Indiana. The 38-year-old, who previously served as a US naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan, is also reportedly being considered for Veterans Affairs Secretary. 

Treasury Secretary

Elizabeth Warren, the liberal firebrand senator for Massachusetts, has reportedly been considered for the role of Treasury Secretary. A former Harvard law professor, she is a leading expert in US bankruptcy law. Ms Warren burnished her progressive credentials in the aftermath of the financial crisis by bringing big banks to task and leading the reform of the industry, including helping to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However she is deeply unpopular with Wall Street – and among many Republicans – and could face difficulties being confirmed by the Senate.

Attorney General

Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general, who served in the Obama administration is thought to be in consideration to head up the Justice Department. Ms Yates served as Barack Obama’s deputy at the department before becoming acting attorney general in the early days of the Trump administration. She was fired by Mr Trump less than two weeks in after failing to defend the president’s Muslim travel ban in court. Ms Yates stands a good chance of being confirmed by the US Senate – she was confirmed by a large majority to her previous position. 

Ms Warren is also reportedly being considered for the role of Attorney General. So too is Stacey Abrams, a rising star in the Democratic party who came close to becoming Georgia’s governor in 2018 but who lacks experience at a national level.