US: Budget chief nominee Neera Tanden withdraws nomination

Washington, Mar 03: US President, Joe. Biden's pick to head the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden has withdrawn her nomination, following opposition from key Democratic and Republican senators for her controversial tweets.

This is the first high-profile defeat of one of Biden's nominees. 11 of the 23 Cabinet nominees requiring Senate approval have been confirmed, most with bipartisan support.

In a letter to Biden, Tanden wrote, unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities.

The President in a letter to Tanden said that he has utmost respect for her record accomplishment, her experience and her counsel. He pledged to find her another role in his administration.

"I appreciate how hard you and your team at the White House has worked to win my confirmation. Unfortunately, it now seems clear that there is no path forward to gain confirmation, and I do not want continued consideration of my nomination to be a distraction from your other priorities," Tanden wrote.

"Neera Tanden=accomplished policy expert, would be 1st Asian American woman to lead OMB, has lived experience having benefitted from a number of federal programs as a kid, looking ahead to the committee votes this week and continuing to work toward her confirmation," White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki said in a tweet.