Biden's foreign policy slogan 'America's Back' was insufficient because it attempted to restore a pre-Trump international order that no longer exists and that most of the Global South actively rejected, preferring independence to US dictation.

factualpending

Speaker

Ben Rhodes

Evidence Quote

he had a slogan that he used when he was running for president the first time that I actually think you know informed his his worldview and his foreign policy which was America's back I if you remember that and it was kind of like well let's just roll this clock back there was no Trump you know um and there's not been all these changes and what I think he found is that was a useful worldview in like Europe and with NATO and with a handful of Asian allies but the rest of the world is like we don't want to go back to when you guys told us what to do [18:55]

Source

Ben Rhodes: The Warren and Anita Manshel Lecture in American Foreign PolicyWeatherhead Center for International Affairs
Created: 8/11/2026, 7:39:48 AM

My Notes

Loading notes...