Biden to signal commitment to US diplomats and allies with State Department visit

President Joe Biden will visit the State Department Thursday to thank a workforce repeatedly maligned under the previous administration and present his broad vision for a foreign policy re-grounded in alliances and multilateral institutions.

By making his first Cabinet agency trip to the State Department and not the Pentagon or CIA, Biden is aiming to underscore his administration's renewed focus on repairing American alliances and using diplomacy as a tool abroad, an official said.

Biden is not expected to offer concrete policy direction in his speech to America's oldest Cabinet agency, which will center on the theme of "restoring America's place in the world," one of his central campaign promises.

However, he is expected to announce his intention to increase the number of refugees allowed to be admitted into the United States after years of historical lows under the Trump administration, two sources familiar with the plans told CNN, fulfilling a campaign promise.

The content and the symbolism of his appearance is meant to convey unmistakable signals: that this administration values diplomacy and its diplomats, it will center its foreign policy around cooperation with allies, and it will work to restore its reputation as a country that leads by example.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Biden's visit, which was rescheduled from earlier this week due to weather, "is largely focused on his desire to thank the men and women who are foreign service officers, civil servants, who are the heart and soul of that institution and frankly our government."