WASHINGTON (AFP) - Mr Joe Biden on Tuesday (March 2) abandoned his plan for Ms Neera Tanden to be White House budget directorafter pushback from key senators, marking the first cabinet defeat for the United States president.

The nomination collapsed when centrists on both sides of the political aisle made clear they were not going to vote for Ms Tanden thanks to several of her previous tweets in which she disparaged lawmakers, including some who would have been charged with voting on her confirmation.