Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has again attacked election opponent President Donald Trump for his foreign policy record, which the former vice president claims has left American allies unsure of whether they can rely on Washington.
Biden told Stars and Stripes for an interview published Thursday that one of his first tasks as president would be to try and win back the trust of the global community, repairing what he says is the damage caused by nearly four years of "American First" unilateralism.
Trump has been accused of sidelining traditional American allies during his time in office, withdrawing from international treaties and bodies—for example the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate accord, and the World Health Organization—that do not align with his nationalistic stance.
The president has consistently maligned U.S. allies for a range of perceived slights, including fellow NATO members who are dependent on the American military for their collective defense.
Trump even reportedly threatened to ditch the alliance if allies did not increase their military spending—an unprecedented challenge that shook supporters of the 71-year-old pact.
Biden told Stars and Stripes that NATO allies are "worried as hell about our failure to confront Russia diplomatically or other ways, and worried about 'America First' meaning 'America Alone.'"
"First thing I'm going to have to do, and I'm not joking: if elected I'm going to have to get on the phone with the heads of state and say America's back, you can count on us," Biden added.
Biden has put diplomacy at the center of his foreign policy plan. The former VP has accused Trump of having "retreated" on the world stage and enabling U.S. adversaries "to fill the void." Biden's platform alleged the Trump has "hollowed out American diplomacy, shredded international commitments, weakened our alliances, and tarnished our credibility."
Biden has also said he will divert more resources and attention to the American diplomatic corps, which Trump's critics say has been neglected since he took office. The president was slow to fill key vacancies in the State Department, while Trump loyalist Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been criticized for politicizing the executive.
Trump has also clashed with American diplomats for speaking out against or blocking what they perceived to be improper foreign policy conduct.
The president targeted former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, for example, telling allies to "get rid of her" when she was impeding the parallel foreign policy in Ukraine that eventually led to Trump's impeachment.
