US Presidential Election: How Biden’s Withdrawal Impacts Foreign Policy Issues?
US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he would drop out of the 2024 presidential election, after mounting pressures from his Democratic fellows.
Biden’s decision has put the US into uncharted territory, injecting more uncertainty into the world as it is grappling with wars in Ukraine and Gaza, increasing threats from China in Asia, and the surge of the far-right in Europe.
Vice President Kamala Harris has got Biden’s endorsement, boosting her chances of becoming the Democratic nominee. However, the next US president will face an array of foreign policy challenges that could impact the US and the rest of the world, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Israel
Amid the growing global isolation resulting from Israel’s war in Gaza, Israelis have expressed concern over the possible candidacy of Kamala Harris. The Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz pointed to Harris’ stance on Israel.
Harris rebuked Israel for its military campaign against Gaza, has increased calls for ceasefire, denounced Israel’s invasion of Rafah, and expressed horror over civilian death toll in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel for over 50 years, as a senator, vice president, then president. After his withdrawal announcement, many Israeli officials thanked him for his unwavering support, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and President Isaac Herzog.
However, there was no immediate reaction from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has close relations with former president Donald Trump, and whose relations with Biden have strained in recent months due to the Gaza war.
Ukraine
Although the US is one of the largest supporters of Ukraine, the slow pace of US aid and restrictions over the use of Western weapons against Russia have caused growing frustration in Ukraine and Europe.
Sudha David-Wilp, director of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund, told AP: “Most Europeans realize that Ukraine is increasingly going to be their burden. Everyone is trying to get ready for all the possible outcomes.”
The possible return of Donald Trump to the White House has sparked fears in Ukraine and Europe. The former president promised to end the war in Ukraine in one day if elected. This raised Kyiv’s concerns that Russia might be allowed to keep the territories it currently occupies.
Moreover, Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, is one of the Congress’ most vocal opponents of the US aid to Ukraine.
On the other hand, Russia played down the significance of the US presidential race, insisting that Moscow would press on in Ukraine regardless of the outcome. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying: “We need to pay attention. We need to watch what will happen and do our own thing.”
China
Both Biden and Trump tried to show voters they can confront China’s growing military strength and assertiveness, and protecting US businesses and workers from cheap Chinese imports. To this end, Biden has hiked tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), while Trump has promised to impose tariffs of up to 60% on all Chinese products.
Chinese state media downplayed the impact of Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential race. The editor of the Communist Party’s mouthpiece Global Times, Hu Xijin, wrote on X: “Whoever becomes the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party may be the same. Voters are divided into two groups, Trump voters and Trump haters.”
Iran
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war in Gaza, turmoil has engulfed the Middle East. Tensions have increased between Israel and Iran’s backed groups in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising the specter of an all-out regional war.
The US and its allies have accused Iran of expanding its nuclear program and enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels. After Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Biden said he wanted to reverse his predecessor’s course. However, his administration has kept tough economic sanctions against Iran and failed to renegotiate the deal.
Additionally, the death of Iran’s President, Ebrahim Raisi, in a helicopter crash has led to the election of the new reformist President, Masoud Pezeshkian, who expressed his willingness to help Iran open up to the world, but has kept a defiant tone against the US.
Europe and NATO
Many European leaders have concerns over the return of Donald Trump, due to his continued disparaging of the European Union (EU) and undermining NATO. On the other hand, Biden has maintained close relations with the EU leaders.
According to analysts, the question of maintaining NATO’s support to Ukraine and checking the ambitions of other authoritarian states hangs in the balance of this presidential election.
Jeremy Shapiro, research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) said European leaders “don’t want to see Donald Trump as president. So there’s quite a bit of relief but also quite a bit of nervousness” about Biden’s withdrawal decision. “Like many in the United States, but perhaps more so, they are really quite confused,” he said.
