Biden and Merkel share a warm handshake in 2013, but mending trans-Atlantic relations will take more than pleasantries. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAURIZIO GAMBARINI | PICTURE ALLIANCE
Positioning Biden’s America in a Post-Trump World By Elizabeth Bennett Editor Many global figures around the world cheered and breathed a sigh of relief when President Joe Biden emerged victorious from the U.S. Presidential Election. However, this relief was only momentarily sweet, as leaders continue to weather the pandemic, the rise of authoritarianism, and the effects of climate change. The United States long acted as an international leader, but today we see a failure to lead the war against the pandemic, an authoritarian despot inspiring an insurrection that threatens the very institutions of our country, and a refusal to assist communities
hurt by climate change. President Biden is fraught with the difficult task of connecting the desires of a torn country to the needs of the international community. Only time will tell whether he is up to the challenge. The Trump administration’s foreign policy was framed by the “America First” mindset that Trump promoted during his candidacy. While this has been detrimental in a myriad of ways, the positive outcomes must be noted. For all Trump’s tiresome tirades about China, he recognized and stressed the importance of viewing China’s progress as a threat to U.S. national security, economic strength, and our stature as a global powerhouse. Moreover, Trump progressed in stabilizing
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