In its early foreign policy acts, the Biden administration sought to reassure American allies that “America is back” and to reverse the damage done to American diplomacy by the Trump presidency.7 The Democrats recognise the advantages of US soft power and are inclined to pursue multilateral approaches. [...] 91 ISSN 2335-6677 international order and to areas relevant to alliance security”.8 The Biden administration is also seeking to create a coalition of “like-minded states” to balance China, including through the Group of Seven (G7), the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) with India, Japan and Australia, and the Five Eyes.9 However, whether the US can achieve its objectives remains to be seen, g. [...] If the US is to “win” the 21st century against other states, it must first be strong at home.11 The new administration is seeking to pass massive spending bills designed to revitalise the country’s infrastructure, alleviate the economic suffering of its citizens, and implement a long-overdue expansion of the US welfare state.12 If successful, these measures may alleviate many of the forces fueling. [...] Some examples of Biden’s attempt to undo the damage caused by Trump include negotiations with Iran for the US to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), US return to the Paris Climate Change Accord, and support to the global multilateral vaccine facility COVAX. [...] A few examples: the destruction of the battleship Maine, docked in Cuba, as an excuse for the Spanish-American War (1898); the supposed attack in the Gulf of Tonkin (1964) that provided the US with the excuse to get more deeply involved in Vietnam; the “threat” of Iraq’s non-existent “weapons of mass destruction” that provided cover for the invasion and occupation of Iraq.
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