While the first US presidential debate of the 2024 race dwelled little on foreign policy, analysts say Joe Biden’s shaky performance will have America’s allies steeling for Donald Trump’s return.
Biden’s supporters had hoped the debate would erase worries that he was too old to serve, but several lawmakers, analysts, and investors also said the event had boosted Trump.
“Mr. Trump didn’t win, but Mr. Biden might have imploded,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat and now research director at the Canon Institute for Global Studies, a think tank.
“The mood has changed considerably after the debate, and the general view is that if you weren’t preparing for a Trump 2.0, then that is the smart play and the smart move now,” said Peter Dean, professor at the United States Studies Centre in Sydney.
In Europe, Trump’s criticisms of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and demands that other members pay more dominated his previous administration. His skepticism towards NATO is causing further anxiety this time, as Russia’s war in Ukraine has brought conflict to the bloc’s doorstep.
During the debate, Trump accused Biden of not standing up to China on trade. He also said China’s Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin “don’t respect” Biden and that he was driving the country “into World War Three.”
Biden retorted that Trump’s tariff proposals would result in higher costs for American consumers and that he “cuddles up” to Kim and Putin.
