Joe Biden promises to end ‘forever wars’ as president as he attacks Donald Trump on foreign policy
- In 43-minute speech, Democratic candidate promises to reassert American leadership on global stage
- Remarks come amid trade war with China and escalating tensions with Iran
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promised on Thursday to end “forever wars” and reassert American leadership to combat authoritarianism and global instability he says are proliferating under US President Donald Trump.
Biden outlined his foreign policy vision in a speech in New York, indicting Trump’s “America first” approach as belligerent, short-sighted, incompetent and ultimately threatening to US interests and democracy across the world.
“The world’s democracies look to America to stand for the values that unite us … Donald Trump seems to be on the other team,” Biden said, hammering the president for “embracing dictators who appeal to his vanity” and emboldening a worldwide rise of nationalism, xenophobia and isolationism.
The former US vice-president sought in his 43-minute speech to promise not just a return to the traditional US role in the post-World War II international order, but to use that power and influence to take on 21st century problems.
Biden emphasised the urgency for US-led global alliances to combat the climate crisis, forge new trade agreements to create a more even international economy and to recommit to nuclear proliferation.