As the countdown to the U.S. presidential elections begins, the United States witnessed the first direct debate between incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Thursday evening.
The debate was marked by a barrage of accusations between the candidates on domestic issues and foreign policy, touching on topics such as abortion, economic management, immigration at the borders, and the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Intense Competition
The latest voter opinion poll showed a tight race between the Republican candidate Joe Biden and the Democrat Donald Trump, with both candidates receiving 46% of the vote intentions. This parity reflects their respective positions on critical domestic and foreign issues.
Visible Hostility
The hostility between Biden and Trump extended beyond politics to protocols and “ethics.” The debate, held in Atlanta, Georgia, started without a handshake between the two. The American press noted President Biden arrived with his wife, while Trump’s wife was absent. Throughout Biden’s tenure, Trump has persistently criticized him, often harshly, even to the point of ridicule.
The U.S. Economy
The debate began with questions about the candidates’ visions for improving the economic situation. Biden claimed his administration inherited an economy on the brink of collapse from Trump, with high unemployment rates, and restored stability by creating new jobs, especially in the industrial sector. He accused Trump of implementing policies favoring the wealthy, pointing out that most of them pay only 8% in taxes, and noted that Trump’s tenure saw the highest deficit and debt levels in U.S. history.
Trump countered by asserting that his administration handed Biden “the greatest economy in American history despite the COVID-19 pandemic,” emphasizing that increased spending was necessary to avoid recession. He added that the stock market was at its best during his administration and that the jobs Biden touts were created for immigrants, not Americans. Trump defended his policies by stating that tariffs would generate funds to reduce the deficit and strengthen the U.S. economy.
Foreign Policy
The candidates focused on foreign policy issues, particularly the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Biden accused Hamas of seeking to continue its war against Israel, noting that his peace proposal received international support. Trump reiterated his campaign’s emphasis that the Hamas attack on October 7 would not have occurred under his presidency, claiming the same about Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
Biden accused Trump of planning to withdraw from NATO. When asked about his stance on Russian President Putin’s proposal for a ceasefire in exchange for Russia retaining claimed Ukrainian territories and Ukraine abandoning its NATO membership aspirations, Trump deemed Putin’s conditions “unacceptable” and vowed to end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict before Inauguration Day.
The Gaza Conflict
Trump blamed Biden’s policies for the October 7 attack, stating that his administration had cut off Iran’s revenues, making it unable to support Palestinian factions like Hamas. He labeled Biden as “bad for Palestinians,” implying a bias towards Palestinians over Israel.
Biden responded that during Trump’s tenure, Iran attacked and injured hundreds of U.S. soldiers. He defended his policy on the Gaza conflict by citing the support of the UN Security Council, the G7, and the Israeli government for his three-phase plan. Trump did not answer whether he would support an independent Palestinian state to end the Hamas-Israel conflict.
The Russian-Ukrainian War
Trump harshly criticized Biden’s policies on the Ukrainian war, stating, “If there were a real president respected by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Putin would not have invaded Ukraine.” He claimed that Putin observed Biden’s incompetence and poor performance in Afghanistan and decided to invade Ukraine, stressing that the U.S. should not have spent nearly $200 billion on the war.
Biden accused Trump of encouraging Putin to act freely, which led to the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that Putin wanted to take Kyiv in a few days but failed, adding that Putin aims to restore the Soviet empire and would continue to other countries if successful in Ukraine.
Immigration
Immigration is a central issue in the U.S. presidential campaign. Trump criticized Biden’s handling of immigration and border policies, stating, “Now we have the worst borders ever,” and claiming that America had the best borders in history during his term. He argued that opening the borders allowed millions of migrants, whom he described as “coming from prisons or even mental hospitals,” linking the rise in crime to increased immigration.
Biden refuted these claims, pointing out that crimes are committed by individuals outside the immigrant community. He criticized the previous administration’s policies, which he said created a “crisis at the border,” adding, “When Trump was president, he separated children from their mothers and put them in cages.”
U.S.-EU Overlap
The U.S. and the European Union face similar challenges regarding the migration crisis, despite differing origin and transit countries. While the U.S.-Mexico border is Biden’s biggest challenge, North African countries, particularly Libya and Tunisia, are Europe’s main concern. The EU has delegated Rome to manage this issue by enhancing border protection, funding coast guard operations, and offering financial incentives based on cooperation and mutual benefit.
A New U.S. Approach in Libya
Recently, the U.S. Senate heard from Jennifer Gavito, President Biden’s nominee for Ambassador to Tripoli. Gavito emphasized Libya’s strategic importance for global powers seeking to expand their influence. She noted significant progress by Chinese companies in Libya’s technology and telecommunications sectors, alongside substantial Russian expansion in Libya and Africa through alliances with Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar.
Regarding Russian expansion, Gavito stated that Moscow seeks more open and formal defense relations with Libyan actors to destabilize NATO’s southern flank. She committed to working with both Eastern and Western Libyan governments to enhance military integration, recognizing Libya as a priority under the Global Fragility Act, requiring long-term strategic investment to address instability.
After years of absence, Biden appointed Jeremy Berndt as the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Tripoli, tasked with supporting the UN-led political process and countering Russian influence.
U.S. Leverage via the UN
The appointment of American diplomat Stephanie Khoury as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya may enable the U.S. to influence the political process without navigating Security Council votes, where Paris or Moscow might veto.
Representing U.S. interests in Libya, Khoury has been part of a diplomatic campaign led by U.S. Special Envoy Richard Norland and Chargé d’Affaires Jeremy Berndt, meeting various Libyan parties and diplomatic missions.
U.S. Elections and Libya
Given the divergent views of presidential candidates Biden and Trump, particularly on managing wars and foreign relations, U.S. policy towards Libya may see strategic shifts, especially in the UN-led political process and countering Russian and Chinese influence.
Increased U.S.-EU coordination, particularly in security and military matters, is expected, with potential announcements of a new military formation to protect their interests in Libya.
The Libyan political and diplomatic landscape has recently been dynamic, with efforts aimed at organizing general elections following upcoming municipal elections in over 60 municipalities, steering Libya towards stability.