Biden to Defend Foreign Policy Legacy Amid Criticism of Global Leadership and Geopolitical Challenges

President Joe Biden, determined to frame his presidency as a success, is set to deliver a speech on Monday reflecting on his foreign policy record. According to the Associated Press, Biden will claim that his administration restored America’s global credibility and strengthened alliances that were allegedly strained during the Trump administration. He is expected to portray himself as a steady leader amid challenges.

In a speech at the State Department, Biden will echo sentiments from his 2021 address, where he criticized the previous administration’s handling of alliances. He had stated then, “The muscle of democratic alliances … have atrophied over the past few years of neglect and, I would argue, abuse,” accusing the Trump administration of undermining international relationships.

While Biden touts his achievements, critics have pointed to significant failures, such as the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. The operation left 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of Afghans dead in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s Abbey Gate. Moreover, billions of dollars in U.S. military equipment were abandoned, falling into the hands of the Taliban.

Biden’s administration also faced criticism for its handling of the Armenian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite warnings, the Christian Armenian population was violently displaced by Azerbaijan, prompting accusations of ethnic cleansing.

Similarly, Biden has been criticized for his approach to Russia and China. During his presidency, Russia invaded Ukraine on a larger scale than during the Obama administration, despite Biden imposing sanctions and providing over $175 billion in aid to Ukraine. His strategy also appears to have pushed Moscow and Beijing into a closer alliance, complicating the U.S.’s geopolitical stance.

China, meanwhile, has escalated cyberattacks on American infrastructure and sovereignty, compromising telecommunications companies and U.S. government networks. Beijing has also engaged in actions like operating illegal police stations on U.S. soil and espionage.

Stephen Wertheim, a historian and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, argued that under Biden, “The United States is in a worse geopolitical position today than it was four years ago,” citing heightened risks in Europe, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, and strained U.S.-China relations.

Despite these challenges, Biden recently told USA Today, “I hope that history says that I came in and I had a plan how to restore the economy and reestablish America’s leadership in the world.” Critics and supporters alike will ultimately determine how his foreign policy legacy is judged.