William Burns: What to know about Biden's CIA director pick

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President Biden has tapped William Burns to serve as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Burns has spent 33 years in the U.S. Foreign Service, making him one of the most experienced foreign policy actors. Biden and Burns crossed paths both during the Obama administration and when then-Sen. Biden led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In a statement made shortly before Biden’s inauguration, the president said of his CIA pick that Burns "shares my profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving our nation deserve our gratitude and respect."  

Biden will look to tap into Burns’ deep experience at a time when the U.S. is facing incredible international pressures.

Former Ambassador William Burns, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, poses at his desk in Washington on Friday, March 20, 2015. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (Getty Images)

Here are five things you need to know about William Burns:

1. Burns wasn’t Biden’s first or even his second choice.

Biden hadn’t initially targeted Burns to head the CIA: His first choice was Michael Morrell, the agency’s No. 2 during the Obama administration, according to Vox.

After support for Morrell quickly shrank -- due to his stance on "enhanced interrogation techniques" -- Biden reportedly offered the role to Tom Donilon.

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Donilon turned down the role, which led Biden to offer it to Burns instead.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) stands near U.S. Ambassador William Burns during a reception for foreign diplomats at the Kremlin in Moscow, Nov. 28, 2007. (AFP PHOTO / RIA NOVOSTI / KREMLIN POOL / DMITY ASTAKHOV)

2. Burns will be the first career diplomat to serve as the head of the CIA.

It is widely reported that Burns is a career diplomat.

Ahead of Burns’ appointment, Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted that Burns "is an outstanding choice" for the role and referred to him as a "seasoned diplomat."

One of the purportedly key concerns for Biden is healing the rift between the intelligence community and the White House, which would make Burns a seemingly ideal candidate to fill the role.

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During his more than three decades of service in the U.S. Foreign Service, Burns has been a diplomat and held several roles within the State Department.

While Burns has never worked in the CIA before, it is not uncommon for an outsider to head the agency -- seven of the last 10 directors have been.

President Barack Obama speaks as Deputy Secretary of State William Burns (right) watches during a holiday reception for the diplomatic corps on Dec. 19, 2012, at the State Department in Washington, D.C. (AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN)

3. Burns has previously served under three different presidents.

Burns has been tapped by both Democrat and Republican presidents.

The bulk of his experience as an ambassador was during then-President George W. Bush’s two terms, during which Burns served in two pivotal roles. He served as the assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs during the early phase of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Then, during Bush’s second term, Burns was appointed as U.S. ambassador to Russia.

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gives a speech next to William J. Burns (left) who stayed on as the undersecretary for political affairs, on her first day of work at the State Department in Washington on Jan. 22, 2009. (AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON)

4. Burns was touted as the leading figure behind the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Burns helped secure President Barack Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Burns is a strong advocate for backchannel diplomacy, using such tactics to launch conversations with Iran regarding its nuclear programs, according to NPR. 

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While Burns left his post in 2014, the deal was completed less than a year following his departure.

Biden is tapping Jake Sullivan, who also worked on the Iran deal, to become his national security adviser.

5. Burns says America is in a place to be the "pivotal power" on an international stage.

In an interview with the Foreign Service Journal, Burns outlined his view on America’s changing role in the international landscape.

Making it clear he does not see himself as a "declinist" -- one who believes the world is entering a "post-America" phase -- Burns said America needs to recognize it "is no longer the only big kid on the geopolitical block."

Instead, he believes America is in a place to act the "pivotal power" -- making it best-placed to navigate a "more crowded, complicated and competitive world."

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"We still have a better hand to play than any of our main competitors, if we play it wisely."