President Joe Biden said a second White House term for him would include efforts to strengthen U.S. alliances in Asia and the Middle East.
In an interview with TIME last week, the president outlined his vision on foreign policy and America’s role as a world power. Addressing the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Biden also spoke to rising anxiety about growing economic and military power in China.
“We have put together the strongest alliance in the history of the world,” Biden told TIME in response to these concerns, “(so that) we are able to move in a way that recognizes how much the world has changed and still lead.”
Here’s what to know about what else Biden said on America’s place on the world stage.
Addressing Israel-Hamas War, alleged war crimes
The Israel-Hamas War has been a political quandary for Biden.
The latest salvo in the conflict began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw over 240 being taken hostage, including eight Americans.
Israel’s response has led to a staggering death toll in Gaza; over 36,000 people have died over the past eight months, according to the local Hamas-led Ministry of Health. Human Rights Watch has condemned Israel, calling the country’s attacks “collective punishments on the civilian population” in Gaza.
When asked by TIME if Israel had committed any war crimes, Biden’s reported response was curt: “It’s uncertain.”
Focus on forming foreign relationships
Delineating between “values-based” and “practical” alliances, Biden told TIME he has taken both approaches in East Asia, including in the Phillipines.
The president did not rule out sending troops to Taiwan, which Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his military to be ready to invade by 2027, TIMES reported U.S. officials said.
“It would depend on the circumstances,” Biden said.
Biden was still skeptical about competition from China, saying in his recent interview, “You’ve got an economy that’s on the brink there. The idea that their economy is booming, give me a break.”
Biden critics say it’s still not enough
Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security adviser for the Trump administration, told TIME, “The single biggest problem with the Biden team is their failure to grasp what it takes to achieve effective deterrence against aggressors.”
Wanting the president to take a stronger position on discouraging America’s enemies, rather than focusing on making friends abroad, Pottinger and others say Biden’s foreign policy approach is insufficient.
“These high-profile photo ops,” said former Trump Administration Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, “are not a substitute for raw military power.”
