US secretary of state’s father Donald Blinken dies

Donald Blinken, a former US diplomat and father of current US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has died at the age of 96, his son has said.

Antony Blinken tweeted that his father, who served as US Ambassador to Hungary between 1994 and 1997, was “a source of love and inspiration” and had inspired him to join the public service.

Born in New York, Mr Blinken Sr served in the Army Air Corps in World War Two.

He graduated with a degree in Economics from Harvard in 1948.

In 1966, he co-founded the investment banking firm EM Warburg, Pincus & Co, and was president of the Mark Rothko Foundation from 1976 to 1989. He also chaired the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York, the nation’s largest institution of higher education, from 1978 to 1990.

He was also awarded the US Department of Defense Award for Distinguished Public Service, and was the first US ambassador to receive Hungary’s highest civilian honour.

His son tweeted that he had “lived with decency, dignity and modesty” and had served his city, state and country.

Agencies