President Joe Biden’s recent trip to South America for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Group of 20 summit left world leaders bracing for significant policy shifts as Donald Trump’s return to power looms. Biden’s visit was meant to reassure allies, but instead raised concerns that his foreign policy had been an aberration and that relations with the US are about to become more complicated.
Biden’s approach to the summits had the feel of a farewell tour, with limited engagement with the press and other leaders. The outing was marked by significant geopolitical developments, including Biden’s approval for Ukraine to fire long-range US-provided missiles into Russian territory, a move that sparked escalations in the ongoing conflict.
As Biden prepares to leave office, his last public appearances have been marked by silence and moments of awkwardness, such as missing the G-20 group photograph on the first day of the summit. The President’s declining health was also evident during the trip, with scenes of him coughing and moving haltingly.
His reticence to engage with pressing issues contrasted sharply with assertive statements from other world leaders, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who pledged to continue denying weapons deliveries to Russia. Biden’s final weeks in office come at a time of rapid global change, with allies and adversaries alike preparing for a new era that may see a return to a more confrontational US foreign policy under Trump.
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