Obama names new director general for the State Department

Obama also nominated Daniel Bennett Smith to the position of assistant secretary of State for intelligence and research. Bennett Smith most recently served as the United States ambassador to Greece from 2010 to 2013.

The president also tapped Arun Kumar to be assistant secretary and director general of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service of the International Trade Administration at the Department of Commerce. Kumar is a partner and member of the Board of Directors at KPMG.