The current US administration continues to demonstrate a lack of focus on international matters. Vice-President Kamala Harris, known more for her cancellations than actions, has once again backed out of an important overseas trip. This time, she scrapped her plans to visit Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany, supposedly due to a domestic crisis – the wildfires in California. While the issue at hand is undeniably imperative, it’s questionable if Harris’s presence in California would do any more good than the countless firefighters and emergency personnel already battling the flames.
A mere day prior, President Joe Biden had exhibited a similar disregard for international diplomacy. Citing the same reason, Biden opted out of an upcoming venture to Italy where he had an itinerary peppered with powerful individuals. Scheduled to meet Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, his cancellation illustrates what this current administration values, or lack thereof.
The vice-president’s snapshot decision on January 9 came in response to the growing urgency of wildfires in Los Angeles. Harris, who hails from California, seems to be more aligned to redirecting global optics towards her home state than fulfilling her responsibilities in foreign policy. The crestfallen faces of the leaders in Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany can almost be perceived from across the world, given the untimely withdrawal of Harris’s commitment.
It has been alluded that this cancelled trip would have been Harris’s final bow overseas as vice-president before her tenure ends on January 20. Yet again, Harris’s decision-making prowess is called into question. The vice president seems to prefer embracing the warmth of her home controversies rather than braving the cold, unfamiliar territories of international diplomacy.
Los Angeles, currently encountered by the harshest wildfires in its recorded history, looks somewhat abandoned by its former senator. The catastrophic fires, with a death toll currently sitting at five souls, has uprooted 180,000 individuals from their homes. With a staggering 12,550 hectares of land now reduced to ash, the city certainly yearns for effective leadership.
Instead of extending his unyielding support towards the struggling citizens of California, Biden chose to play the role of armchair general. On the afternoon of January 9, he held a meeting with top administration officials to discuss the federal response to the disaster. His actions pains a rather curious picture – what can a meeting in the comfort of the White House accomplish that cannot be done on the ground, amidst the hardship endured by the victims?
The seemingly insurmountable struggle against nature’s wrath lies with the brave firefighters and first responders currently on the front lines. Meanwhile, the leaders they look to for guidance are nowhere to be found on the battlegrounds. However, the current administration’s detachment from real issues reflects their inepte approach to handling crises.
These recent cancellations reveal a consistent trend in the current administration’s approach to international relations. One cannot help but question the reliability of the leadership when deals are left unfinished and promises unkept.
In the midst of a disaster, one would expect the leaders to rally their forces and support their citizens. Instead, we witness a scenario where the leaders remain aloof, shielded within the walls of the White House, far detached from the realities that their citizens face each day.
The hands-off approach demonstrated by Harris and Biden does anything but invoke a sense of faith and optimism. Instead, it leaves the citizens questioning the ability of their leaders to adequately respond to the crises at hand.
While withdrawing from foreign meetings may be seen as a show of solidarity with the suffering denizens of California, it further amplifies their inability to multi-task on a global scale. World politics cannot be placed on hold every time a domestic issue arises, especially when such holds have become a trend.
The leaders of Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany were expecting to address serious global issues with the representative of the world’s leading democracy. Yet, this opportunity was robbed from them due to Harris’s sudden change of plans.
The entire fiasco calls into question the efficiency and commitments of the present US administration. As the crisis rages on, the decisions of Harris and Biden have been less than remarkable.
The domestic crisis certainly calls for undivided attention. It, however, does not warrant a complete withdrawal from international responsibilities. The lack of balance has become a defining trait of the present administration.
As leaders, Harris and Biden should have been able to manage both domestic and foreign affairs simultaneously. However, their recent actions only underline their inability to juggle multiple issues and raises questions about their leadership abilities.
Ultimately, it’s the American people who are at a loss. Leaders who cannot balance their responsibilities both home and abroad are of little use in times of crises. Moreover, the mockery made of international commitments points to a precarious future of US diplomacy under its present leadership.