U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has dumped Donald Trump’s America First policy as he said the U.S. is ready to take its rightful place as a world leader.
He made the statement today at the introduction of some his key cabinet nominees, that included experienced hands, such as John Kerry, Antony Blinken and others.
Biden said the United States will be “ready to lead” again on the global stage, turning the page on President Donald Trump’s unilateralist policies.
He also pledged to work together with America’s allies.
Introducing his new foreign policy and national security team, the Democratic former vice president signalled he intends after taking office on Jan. 20 to steer the United States away from the “America First” nationalism pursued by Trump.
The Republican incumbent has unsettled many U.S. allies, in Europe and elsewhere, with an antagonistic approach toward the NATO alliance and trade relations, abandonment of international agreements and warm relationships with authoritarian leaders.
Biden said his team, which includes trusted aide Antony Blinken as his nominee for U.S. secretary of state, would shed what the president-elect described as “old thinking and unchanged habits” in its approach to foreign relations.
“It’s a team that reflects the fact that America is back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it, once again sit at the head of the table, ready to confront our adversaries and not reject our allies, ready to stand up for our values,” Biden said at the event in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
The world is much changed since Democrats were last in the White House four years ago.
China is on the rise and emboldened, Russia has sought to further assert its clout, U.S. influence has waned as it has pulled out of various accords, and American moral authority has been dented by turmoil at home.
Biden also has tapped Jake Sullivan as national security adviser, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Alejandro Mayorkas as secretary of homeland security and John Kerry as envoy on climate-related issues. They appeared with Biden and underscored his message.
U.S. foreign policy under a Biden administration is likely to take more of a multilateral and diplomatic approach aimed at repairing Washington’s relationships with key U.S. allies and pursue new paths on issues such as climate change.
Biden said he has been struck in calls with roughly 20 world leaders “by how much they’re looking forward to the United States reasserting its historic role as a global leader.”
In his remarks, Biden said that working with allies would help keep America safe without engaging in “needless military conflicts.” He did not reference the country’s longest war – the Afghanistan conflict – as Trump moves to reduce U.S. forces. (AFP)
