A fist bump and meeting with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Tariffs and export controls on China. Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
More than a year and a half into the tenure of U.S. President Joe Biden, his administration’s approach to strategic priorities is surprisingly consistent with the policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, former officials and analysts say.
Biden vowed on the campaign trail to break from the paths taken by the previous administration, and in some ways on foreign policy he has done that. He has repaired alliances, particularly in Western Europe, that Trump had weakened with his "America First” proclamations and criticisms of other nations. In recent months, Biden’s efforts positioned Washington to lead a coalition imposing sanctions against Russia during the war in Ukraine.