Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 US presidential race has kicked off a six month race to solidify his administration’s foreign policy achievements, particularly in the two areas most likely to shift dramatically under a Donald Trump presidency: the Middle East and Ukraine.
Biden’s much-anticipated move over the weekend will see his power ebb away over the remainder of his term, transforming him into a so-called lame duck president. But while this could decrease his leverage with foreign interlocutors, it could also free him from political constraints and allow him to act with more freedom on the world stage.
“This will be similar to what it’s like in the eighth year of a two-term presidency,” said Richard Fontaine, chief executive of the Center for a New American Security think-tank in Washington. “You’re still commander-in-chief . . . and you still have the power of the United States at your disposal . . . but the world adjusts.”