After the November 2020 elections, where Joe Biden was elected President of the United States, and the more recent events at the Capitol, the international community is questioning what is happening in the United States, the medium- and long-term consequences, and what the main lines of its foreign policy could be, particularly with powers such as China, the European Union, and Russia.
«The United States is much more than Trump,» points out Javier Solana at the beginning of his speech. Since 1966, Solana has been closely linked to the United States, where he pursued a PhD program in physics thanks to the Fulbright Scholarship. «Only 20% of Republicans and Democrats believe that members of the other party share their same goals and values, and even a common understanding of what America means,» says Solana. This lack of cohesion in a country like the United States complicates the coexistence of such a heterogeneous citizenry. Moreover, the four years of the Trump administration have deepened the division and cracks, posing a huge challenge for the new government.
The elections, without a doubt, have been won by the Democratic candidate, both in the popular vote and in the Electoral College. He even ratified his victory with an important win in the state of Georgia, granting him a majority in the Senate. It is worth highlighting the Cabinet that the Biden Administration is forming, composed of highly qualified, effective, and inspiring individuals. The best example is the Vice President-elect of the United States, Kamala Harris, with a highly interesting political and personal profile. Harris, who ran for the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination, has served as the Attorney General of California (2011-2017) and a Senator from California (2017-2021).
However, according to Solana’s judgment, Biden has taken a risk by placing a military leader at the head of the Department of Defense. Lloyd Austin, the new Secretary of Defense, will be the third military officer to hold this position; the first was under President Truman and the second under President Trump. Lastly, Biden’s most recent appointment is the new Director of the CIA, diplomat William Burns. Solana considers this appointment a masterstroke, given Burns’ impeccable professional career in positions such as U.S. Ambassador to Moscow. «Burns is a person who prefers to make few waves but is eager to make changes. A person with a very broad vision,» says Solana.
The doctrine of the new administration can be summarized in the phrase «lead not by example of power, but by the power of our example,» as pronounced by Biden himself. It is a clear indication that his government aims to recover soft power. He also proposes a foreign policy «that impacts the middle classes of the country,» with a more positive management of globalization and a will to benefit those who have suffered the most. Regarding its presence in international organizations, according to Javier Solana’s view, the first step for the United States should be to return to the World Health Organization (WHO), which is essential for a coordinated and global response to COVID-19. Furthermore, the World Trade Organization (WTO) should be reactivated, partly because it plays a key role in U.S. relations with China. Finally, two essential international agreements to which the United States should return are the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Aranzazu Álvarez