American Leadership

The Strength of America's Leadership: The Biden Plan to Guide the Democratic World in Addressing 21st Century Challenges

Today, Joe Biden shared his vision for America's foreign policy, focusing on restoring dignity in leadership at home and earning respect globally. He stressed the interconnectedness of domestic and international policies, pledging to enhance the security, prosperity, and values of the United States. As president, Biden plans to take swift action to strengthen democracy, rebuild alliances, secure the nation’s economic future, and restore America’s leadership in addressing the world’s most critical challenges.

Under Biden’s leadership, the U.S. will lead by example, uniting global efforts to tackle shared issues that no country can solve alone, such as climate change, nuclear proliferation, global power dynamics, terrorism, cyber threats, and mass migration. In contrast, Donald Trump’s erratic policies and disregard for democratic principles have diminished America’s global influence, weakened its alliances, and made it harder to address these pressing issues, endangering both our security and our future.

In his address at The Graduate Center at CUNY in New York, Joe Biden outlined his plan to reverse President Trump's damage and set a new course for U.S. foreign policy that reflects today’s global reality while preparing for future challenges. Biden will continue to expand upon this vision as his campaign moves forward.

Renew Our Democracy and Strengthen the Global Coalition of Democracies

Democracy is the core of our society, the source of our strength, and the foundation for our renewal. It empowers our leadership and ensures our security in a rapidly changing world. It sparks the innovation that drives our economic growth. Democracy shapes our identity, influences our worldview, and defines how others see us. That’s why America’s capacity to lead global progress and rally others for collective action starts at home. The U.S. must lead not just with its power, but by setting an example for the rest of the world.

As one of his first actions as president, Joe Biden will:

Strengthen Our Democracy

• Reform our education system so that a child’s potential is not determined by their zip code or race.
• Revamp the criminal justice system to remove unfair disparities.
• Restore the Voting Rights Act.
• Push for greater transparency in campaign finance to prevent both foreign and domestic money from corrupting our political system.
• Increase funding, including cybersecurity resources, to protect our election systems.
• Eliminate the use of anonymous shell companies.
• Enforce strict conflict-of-interest and anti-corruption rules for all members of the Biden administration to ensure no self-dealing occurs.
• Reinstate daily press briefings at the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Open communication with the public is vital for a foreign policy rooted in the informed consent of the American people.

Restore Our Moral Leadership

• Immediately end the cruel practice of separating families at the border and detaining immigrant children in for-profit facilities. Straying from our core values doesn’t strengthen border security but diminishes our global reputation. As president, Biden will introduce sensible policies to improve screening at legal entry points and invest in border technology, collaborating with Canada and Mexico.
• Protect undocumented service members, veterans, and their families from deportation. Those who risk their lives for this country should be able to live here safely and contribute to society.
• Review Temporary Protected Status for vulnerable groups fleeing violence or disasters, including Venezuelans and Haitians.
• End the travel ban on people from Muslim-majority countries.
• Reverse harmful asylum policies from the previous administration and set refugee admissions targets that reflect our global responsibilities and the pressing need for humanitarian aid.
• Lift the Global Gag Rule, which prevents funding for international organizations that provide information or discuss abortion.
• Shift focus back to supporting the rights of women and girls both in the U.S. and globally, prioritizing efforts to combat gender-based violence worldwide.
• Uphold the ban on torture and increase transparency in military operations, including implementing policies to reduce civilian casualties as previously set by the Obama-Biden administration.
• Restore a commitment to science and facts in government, including bringing back the term “climate change.”
• Reaffirm the “nation of immigrants” identity in the mission statement of Citizenship and Immigration Services, as that’s who we are.
• Renew our dedication to advancing human rights and democracy around the world.

After taking important steps to strengthen our country’s democratic principles and inspire others, President Biden will host a global Summit for Democracy. The summit will work to revive unity and shared goals among democratic nations. In his first year as president, Biden will bring the world’s democracies together to strengthen democratic institutions, openly address the challenges posed by countries with declining democratic practices, and create a joint strategy to tackle threats to our shared values.

• The Summit will focus on concrete actions by encouraging new commitments from countries in three key areas: (1) fighting corruption, (2) defending against authoritarianism, including safeguarding elections, and (3) advancing human rights both at home and abroad.
• Civil society groups worldwide, who play a vital role in defending democracies, will also participate in the summit.
• Additionally, the summit will call on the private sector, including tech firms and social media platforms, to make commitments. These companies, which benefit from democratic systems, must recognize their role in preserving open societies and protecting free speech. For example, tech companies should pledge to ensure their platforms and algorithms do not support surveillance states, promote repression, spread hate, incite violence, or remain open to misuse.

Joe Biden has long been a strong advocate for taking concrete action against foreign interference in democracies. As a founding member of the Trans-Atlantic Commission on Election Integrity, he worked to counter Russia’s attacks on Western democracies. The commission urged politicians across Europe to sign a pledge supporting transparency in campaign finance and rejecting the use of falsified or stolen materials. Biden has signed this pledge as a candidate and is calling on all presidential candidates to do the same.

Empower Our People to Succeed in the Global Economy with a Foreign Policy for the Middle Class

Joe Biden believes that economic security is crucial to national security. As president, he will adopt a foreign policy focused on strengthening the middle class. To stay competitive with China and other nations, we must boost our innovation and unite the economic strength of democracies worldwide to fight against unfair economic practices.

Rebuild the Middle Class, Our Country’s Backbone:

• Provide every student with the skills needed for a good 21st-century job
• Ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare
• Invest in infrastructure
• Raise the minimum wage to $15
• Lead the clean energy movement to create 10 million new jobs in the U.S.

Unlock Our Nation's Potential: We will unleash the full strength of our country by tapping into the power of our top-tier research universities, venture capital, and the entrepreneurial spirit of our people. By prioritizing research and development, we can drive advancements in clean energy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, 5G, and high-speed rail. It's essential to ensure that emerging technologies, such as AI, are governed by ethical standards and foster shared prosperity and democracy. A Biden administration will work with democratic allies to build secure, private-sector-led 5G networks that ensure all communities, including rural and low-income areas, are connected and included.

Create Fair Trade and Worker Policies: The era of business as usual in trade is over. Biden will negotiate from a position of strength, alongside other democracies that represent around half of the world’s GDP. As president, Biden will use this influence to shape global policies on crucial matters such as the environment, labor standards, trade, transparency, non-proliferation, cyber theft, data privacy, and artificial intelligence, making sure these rules reflect democratic values and advance American interests.

Restore American Leadership to Drive Global Action on Critical Issues

Global challenges don’t resolve themselves. Effective American leadership, with clear goals and strategies, is necessary to tackle the most pressing issues worldwide. To regain our leadership position, we need to rebuild our credibility and influence. From day one of Biden's presidency, other nations will once again trust the words and actions of an American leader. Democracies must come together to confront rising populism, nationalism, and demagoguery; the expanding power of authoritarian governments and their efforts to sow division; and the urgent threats of our time, such as the renewed threat of nuclear war, mass migration, emerging technologies, and climate change.

Safeguard Our Core Interests: As president, Joe Biden will prioritize the protection of the American people, using military force when absolutely necessary. With the strongest military in the world, Biden will ensure it remains prepared for future challenges, not past ones. However, the use of military force will be a last resort – applied only when vital interests are at stake, and the goals are clear, achievable, and backed by the American public.

End Ongoing Conflicts: Biden is committed to ending the protracted wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East that have claimed countless lives and resources. As he has long advocated, Biden will bring the majority of U.S. troops back from Afghanistan and refocus efforts on combating Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Additionally, he will halt support for the Saudi-led conflict in Yemen. Persisting in these unproductive wars drains vital resources and limits the U.S.’s ability to address other critical global issues.

Prioritize Diplomacy: As president, Joe Biden will make diplomacy a top priority in the U.S.'s global relations. He will work to strengthen the U.S. Department of State, giving more power to our skilled diplomats and tapping into the full potential of America's diverse population. Collaborating with other nations will enhance both our safety and prosperity. For example, Biden will review U.S. funding for Central America, building on successful efforts from the Obama-Biden administration. Leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras made tangible commitments to combat corruption, violence, and poverty – issues that drive migration.

Renew and Redefine Partnerships: A Biden administration will not only restore traditional alliances but will also reshape them to address future challenges. This includes ensuring NATO remains prepared for military threats while tackling emerging issues like cyber theft, weaponized corruption, and new dangers in space and at sea. Biden will push for all NATO members to uphold their alliance commitments and strengthen relationships beyond North America and Europe, especially in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. During the next Summit of the Americas in 2021, Biden will focus on revitalizing ties in the Western Hemisphere based on shared values like democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Biden will also strengthen partnerships with Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other Asian democracies while maintaining a firm commitment to Israel's security.

Reaffirm Our Commitment to Arms Control in a New Era:

• The Iran nuclear agreement, a historic achievement negotiated by the Obama-Biden administration with the support of our allies and global partners, successfully prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. However, after President Trump pulled out of the agreement, Iran restarted its nuclear program and became more aggressive, escalating tensions in the region. If Iran returns to full compliance, President Biden will re-enter the deal, using strong diplomacy and the backing of our allies to reinforce and expand it, while also addressing Iran's other destabilizing actions.
• In North Korea, Biden will empower negotiators and launch a coordinated, ongoing effort with our allies, including China, to pursue the goal of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
• As president, Biden will work to extend the New START Treaty, a crucial element of strategic stability between the U.S. and Russia, and use it as a foundation for additional arms control agreements.
• Biden will also take further steps to minimize the role of nuclear weapons. As he stated in 2017, Biden believes the U.S. nuclear arsenal should serve the primary purpose of deterring and, if necessary, retaliating against a nuclear attack. As president, he will work to implement this strategy in close collaboration with our allies and the military.

Mobilize the World to Tackle the Climate Crisis: On his first day in office, President Biden will rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and lead a global diplomatic effort to increase the climate goals of other countries. To show leadership and take real action toward a clean-energy economy with net-zero emissions by 2050, Biden will take the following steps in his first 100 days:

• Organize a climate summit with the leaders of the world’s largest carbon-emitting nations to urge them to set more ambitious targets and surpass their existing commitments.
• Secure enforceable agreements to reduce emissions in global shipping and aviation, while ensuring other countries do not undercut U.S. progress economically. This includes pressuring China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, to stop subsidizing coal exports and outsourcing pollution through their Belt and Road Initiative by funding harmful fossil fuel projects abroad.