Attempting to silence criticism of his foreign policy agenda, President Biden gave perhaps the most important speech so far before the United Nations General Assembly today.
Biden has long touted his foreign policy bona fides, but recent setbacks for the administration have caused headaches both at home and abroad. Between continuing tensions with China, the optics of the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and France's anger over our new security pact with Australia (voiding Paris' multibillion-dollar submarine deal with Canberra), the president faces growing challenges demanding resolution. (RELATED: US Announces Security Partnership to Counter China)
Though Biden's words before the General Assembly carried added weight with such high stakes, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was unimpressed, as revealed in a Fox News exclusive.
“President Biden's speech ignored the reality and seriousness of America's threats and enemies,” Haley told Fox News after Biden's speech Tuesday. “China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and terrorism, to name a few.”
“Under the Trump administration, the world knew where we stood,” Haley, who served under former President Trump, said. “At the U.N., we took the names of our enemies and had the backs of our allies.”
Extending an apparent olive branch to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden said the United States was “not seeking a new Cold War” with China.
Biden did not mention Russia or China by name, however he did discuss human rights issues in the Xinjiang region of China.
Biden also emphasized the “importance of freedom of navigation” in an indirect shot at Beijing's aggressive gray zone tactics in the South China Sea.
Haley's comments come after Biden addressed the United Nations in New York City Tuesday morning, telling his international peers that the world stands “at an inflection point in history,” while saying that the United States intends to “lead on all of the greatest challenges of our time,” but not alone–underscoring the importance of alliances and partnerships around the globe.
It remains unclear whether many in General Assembly still question if Biden is as different from Trump, on foreign affairs, as they hoped.
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