'America is back,' Biden says, as he dumps Trump's foreign policy approach

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Humeyra Pamuk

 

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden announces his national security nominees and appointees at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 24, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden said on Tuesday the United States will be "ready to lead" again on the global stage, turning the page on President Donald Trump's unilateralist policies as he pledged to work together with America's allies.

 

Introducing his new foreign policy and national security team, the Democratic former vice president signaled 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.

 

President-elect Joe Biden said on Tuesday the United States will be "ready to lead" again on the global stage after he succeeds President Donald Trump in January, pledging to work together with Washington's allies abroad.

 

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."

 

His promise to embrace alliances, including in the Asia-Pacific region, follows a deterioration in bilateral ties between the United States and China, the world's top two economies, that has triggered comparisons to the Cold War.

 

This final year of Trump's administration was marked by frequent China-bashing as the two powers sparred over China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, deteriorating freedoms in Hong Kong and territorial issues in the South China Sea.

 

While China is unlikely to find a soft alternative to Trump with Biden, diplomats and analysts expect a more measured tone and intensified efforts to strengthen alliances to counter Beijing.

 

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.

 

President-elect Biden was formally given the go-ahead by a key federal agency to begin his transition to the White House, shortly after Michigan certified him as the state's winner. This report produced by Chris Dignam.

 

TRANSITION MOVES FORWARD

Biden has moved swiftly to assemble his team and make Cabinet choices after defeating Trump in the Nov. 3 election. Trump has waged a flailing legal battle to try to overturn the results, falsely claiming the election was stolen from him through widespread voting fraud.

 

Biden urged the Senate to give his nominees who require confirmation by the chamber "a prompt hearing" and expressed hope he could work with Republicans "in good faith to move forward for the country."

 

"Let's begin that work ... to heal and unite America as well as the world," Biden added.

 

Some Republican senators, however, indicated they may be prepared to stand in the way of his Cabinet appointments. Marco Rubio, a Foreign Relations Committee member, wrote on Twitter that Biden's Cabinet picks "will be polite & orderly caretakers of America's decline."

 

Trump has said he will never concede the election but after weeks of limbo his administration on Monday finally gave the green light for the formal transfer of power to begin. That process had been held up despite Biden emerging as the clear winner and world leaders recognizing him as the next president.

 

In another sign that Trump had all but accepted his election loss, the White House gave the go-ahead for Biden to start receiving the president's daily intelligence briefing.

 

Critics have said Trump's refusal to accept the results undercut the incoming administration's ability to combat the intensifying pandemic that has killed about 259,000 Americans and left millions more without jobs.

 

Pennsylvania became the latest pivotal state on Tuesday to certify that Biden had won. The Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday also confirmed Biden had won the state, sending the results to Nevada's Democratic governor for final certification.

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, David Morgan, Patricia Zengerle, Humeyra Pamuk; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom, Doina Chiacu, Lisa Lambert, Karen Freifeld, Noeleen Walder and Tom Hals; Writing by Paul Simao: Editing by Ross Colvin and Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-25

 

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13 minutes ago, webfact said:

America is back,' Biden says, as he dumps Trump's foreign policy approach

 

Did he ( DJT ) ever have one .. or was the bull in a China shop approach it .. 

 

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

Marco Rubio, a Foreign Relations Committee member, wrote on Twitter that Biden's Cabinet picks "will be polite & orderly caretakers of America's decline."

 

Sound just like a loser there dude .. 

 

Excellent instead of throwing allies under the bus and stabbing friends in the back we will build unity and working together treating others with respect a hand up instead of a boot down I like it!!

What a difference a competent President makes.

 

56 days to go, 56 days to the return of decency

and leadership.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"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.

All the best to America. I hope Biden will work to unite the divided country.

 

And about leading the word: Please ask the word first if they want American leadership of the world and if they want America at the head of the table. I am sure lots of countries had enough of America's so called leadership.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Biden urged the Senate to give his nominees who require confirmation by the chamber "a prompt hearing" and expressed hope he could work with Republicans "in good faith to move forward for the country."

The swamp is back.   How is Hunter going to effect China policy?   Biden has no policy, just a return to business as usual. 

21 minutes ago, Tug said:

Excellent instead of throwing allies under the bus and stabbing friends in the back we will build unity and working together treating others with respect a hand up instead of a boot down I like it!!

Let's not forget that about 70,000,000 American's supported what Trump did and they wanted (at least) 4 more years of the same. That will be a massive problem for Biden because those 70 million won't change their mind only because Biden tries to do a good job.

America is a basket case. Yes the next four years will be more sensible in the global arena than the last, but come the next election who knows? They hate each other so why should they care about anyone else?

9 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Hiring family members is not swamp like.  

There’s even a word for it: It’s called Nepotism. 

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Excellent instead of throwing allies under the bus and stabbing friends in the back we will build unity and working together treating others with respect a hand up instead of a boot down I like it!!

and then there's the second coming. 'America is back" sounds a little like "Here comes Johnny".

Troll posts and responses removed.

Biden is ready to interfere in other countries business in order to take attention from the huge Domestic problems he faces.

 

Great.

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's not forget that about 70,000,000 American's supported what Trump did and they wanted (at least) 4 more years of the same. That will be a massive problem for Biden because those 70 million won't change their mind only because Biden tries to do a good job.

I’m well aware of the damage trump Fox News and the like have done I will not give up on my country and imo a lot of those voters reacted to trumps fear propaganda not out of respect for trump

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Biden is ready to interfere in other countries business in order to take attention from the huge Domestic problems he faces.

 

Great.

At least he cares about those domestic problems. The current president ignores many of them. Like "It will go away". And now over 250,000 dead Americans and counting.

It's good to have someone who realises that international trade and alliances are not win-lose affairs, but rather win-win ones.

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

At least he cares about those domestic problems. The current president ignores many of them. Like "It will go away". And now over 250,000 dead Americans and counting.

He hasn't even become President yet. So maybe better hold off on your assessment of how he handles domestic problems. 

 

However this thread is about foreign policy, and his interference overseas will not be welcomed by many. 

So to put maybe somewhat muddled response, which might be reflective of the general US populous.

 

I am relieved that the Trump era is at an end, and hopefully the adults will be back in charge.

 

On the flip side, what the Trump chaos has demonstrated is how fragile the Western world is without the US at the helm.

 

It may at the end of the day jump started many countries, especially in NATO to recognize they do have to step up and contribute their fair share to collective defense.

 

On the other side of the coin, hopefully after this whole awful four years, Biden will be able to cobble together a more coherent response to China with our allies.

China is a real threat to all democracies, and if I were Biden that would be my #1 foreign policy issue , rather than the buckshot approach of the Trump administration.

 

Either way, the world has changed thanks to Trump, history will tell us if it's for better or worse

 

 

He is not quite there yet, and the changes he want's to make are good for who? Open borders, America not first, oil and gas gone with the wind. And many many more things to hurt America and the rest of the world.

1 minute ago, GinBoy2 said:

It may at the end of the day jump started many countries, especially in NATO to recognize they do have to step up and contribute their fair share to collective defense.

Who is the enemy? 

Which country or region should all those fighter jets and tanks "defend". And what are the nukes for?

 

Cyber defense makes a lot of sense these days. Same as working together peacefully with the rest of the world.

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's not forget that about 70,000,000 American's supported what Trump did and they wanted (at least) 4 more years of the same. That will be a massive problem for Biden because those 70 million won't change their mind only because Biden tries to do a good job.

Some of those who voted for Trump will never change their mind, ever. It won't matter how much money is in their pocket or what the mood in the country is. However some will change their mind and added to the 80 million that voted for Biden, will help close the gap between both sides. 

9 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

He is not quite there yet, and the changes he want's to make are good for who? Open borders, America not first, oil and gas gone with the wind. And many many more things to hurt America and the rest of the world.

What open borders?

America first, not America alone, there is a difference.

oil and gas will do just fine.

what many many more things to hurt America, list them.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Who is the enemy? 

Which country or region should all those fighter jets and tanks "defend". And what are the nukes for?

 

Cyber defense makes a lot of sense these days. Same as working together peacefully with the rest of the world.

I would agree.

 

Defense these days doesn't mean just tanks, guns and airplanes.

 

It's much more complicated, but projection of power is certainly part of holding back enemies.

 

To use Taiwan as an example. There is no doubt in my mind, as well as most military analysts, without the US Navy China would have long ago invaded Taiwan.

 

Peace can be maintained sometimes by threatening a big stick, but without the theatrics of a TV Reality POTUS

 

Unlike the past few years where twitter and bluster have been the MO, I hark back to an earlier time and Teddy Roosevelt, a hero of mine, who said; "speak softly and carry a big stick"

 

11 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

 

China is a real threat to all democracies, and if I were Biden that would be my #1 foreign policy issue , rather than the buckshot approach of the Trump administration.

 

OMG......the commies are coming!! Best check under your beds; McCarthyism at its finest. <deleted>!!

3 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

He is not quite there yet, and the changes he want's to make are good for who? Open borders, America not first, oil and gas gone with the wind. And many many more things to hurt America and the rest of the world.

The world seem happy Trump will be gone and Biden will be the 46th POTUS and that even before he is officially inaugurated and take office. Stock markets endorsed the reassuring confident of Biden/Harris administration. US allies are calling to congratulate Biden and sigh a collective relief that Trump will be gone.  Boris Johnson who has been Trump's staunch supporter is looking forward to work closely with Biden from climate change to building strong ties. Hurt? I think they are rejoicing and looking forward to work with Biden/Harris. 

40 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Biden is ready to interfere in other countries business in order to take attention from the huge Domestic problems he faces.

 

Great.

 

Same as trump, accusation, but unsupported; accordingly how about some factual  backup to your claims?

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

Same as trump, accusation, but unsupported; accordingly how about some factual  backup to your claims?

Facts, who needs fact?

Just check all the conspiracy theories from QAnon. I am sure at least one will fit. And if not, no problem, they will make up a new one within hours. ???? 

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Facts, who needs fact?

Just check all the conspiracy theories from QAnon. I am sure at least one will fit. And if not, no problem, they will make up a new one within hours. ???? 

 

The fact trump welcomed QAnon weirdos into government is enough for him to be assessed as unfit to represent the Office of the President of the USA. So happy the US electorate got rid of trump - hope the Dems can win the two outstanding Senate allocations.

Just a quick list of Trumps foreign policies achievements:

1. There are STILL slave markets in Libya

2. There is NO PEACE in the Middle East

3. An American embassy in Jerusalem is a giant middle finger to the worlds billion adherents to the Islamic faith

4. China STILL occupies and militarizes the South China Sea

5. Russia is STILL in control of Crimea

6. Trump assassinated the influential and political leader Soleimni WITHOUT a declaration of war

7. Trump assassinated the Al-Bagdadi WITHOUT a declaration of war

 

Trump is a dangerous US president who only threatens the lives of the American people. We are in a more dangerous situation now because of the resurgent Russian threat. We now need Joe Biden to put a check on Vladimir Putin

Inflammatory post removed along with reply.

 

Great, we are back to the do nothing, no balls policies that don't work.  The USA needs to call in a chit from the Israelis and have them wipeout those Chinese made islands in the territorial waters of The Philippines.