President Joe Biden issued a warning to the world’s democracies Friday, saying they’re under assault by authoritarian regimes.
“We must demonstrate that democracy can still deliver for our people in this changed world,” Biden said during a virtual session of the Munich Security Conference. “That, in my view, is our galvanizing mission,” Biden said in his first speech to an international audience since taking office.
In his run up to the election, Biden discussed repairing American’s image and alliances. Since he has stepped in office President Biden has expressed his support for NATO and squashed Trump’s plan to remove 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany.Biden added today’s issues including the coronavirus pandemic and far-right movements in Europe will need a coordinated approach from multiple countries.
“We are in
the midst of a fundamental debate about the future and direction of our world, between those who argue that … autocracy is the best way forward and those who understand that democracy is essential to meeting these challenges,” Biden said.Biden’s words are far different from those of the former President Donald Trump. During his one term, he touted his America first police which included military withdrawals
from places that cannot protect themselves as well as leaving the Paris Climate Agreement.Additionally, Trump had no issues insulting other world leaders and was cozy with Russia and China due to his own business interests.
Not only did Biden officially move the U.S back into the agreement, but he also committed $4 billion to a global vaccine initiative, something Trump also declined to do.
In his speech, Biden called out Russia for it’s attacks on U.S. Democracy and China for its human rights abuses saying the Kremlin attacks democracies and weaponizes corruption and China monopolizes and normalizes repression.
The former vice president called on other nations to defend self-government and the Democratic way.
“We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.”