President Biden returned to Washington after a historic trip to Angola, becoming the first American president to visit sub-Saharan Africa. However, his efforts to re-establish US engagement on the continent were overshadowed by President-elect Donald Trump’s rapid rise to global prominence.
Trump has already begun courting world leaders, meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before taking office. The president-elect’s appearances serve as a reminder that he is quickly becoming the center of attention, replacing the Oval Office with Mar-a-Lago as the focal point for international diplomacy.
While Biden’s Africa trip highlighted US commitment to HIV/AIDS efforts in the continent, Trump has taken a more assertive approach, warning Hamas to release hostages and threatening trade wars with Canada and Mexico. The president-elect has also expressed support for blocking the sale of US Steel to Japanese company Nippon Steel.
Veteran political scientist Wayne Lesperance notes that world leaders have shifted their attention to the incoming administration, citing differences between Biden’s and Trump’s approaches to foreign policy. “The world is demanding leadership,” says Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist who served at the State Department during Trump’s first term. However, it appears that the world has turned its attention to Trump, with many leaders focusing on his picks for the foreign policy team rather than Biden’s efforts.
As Biden’s final weeks in office come to an end, he is attempting a victory tour of sorts, highlighting US commitments to Africa and the global fight against HIV/AIDS. However, it seems that the world has already begun to look to Trump as the next leader on the global stage.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-trumps-biden-president-elect-overshadows-white-house-incumbent-world-stage