Ct is no surprise: American voters choose their president based on domestic considerations. In the fall of 2024, inflation, the right to abortion, the migration crisis and even the preservation of democracy constitute the most debated subjects. Foreign policy remains in second place, even if echoes of the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and now Lebanon have punctuated the campaign.
But in reality, there is no longer a clear distinction between internal and external issues. Joe Biden theorized this during his first foreign policy speech in February 2021: “There is no longer a clear line between foreign policy and domestic policy. Every action we take abroad must be done with America’s working families in mind. Promoting a pro-middle-class foreign policy requires an urgent focus on our domestic economic renewal. » The defense of American jobs, the rejection of the emblematic free trade agreements of the 1990s and the absence of appetite for any new war form a new consensus in Washington, from which each draws different conclusions.
In this regard, the contrast between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is striking. The presidential election of November 5 is also a referendum on the place of the United States in the concert, or rather the clash of nations. A vote on American values and interests. A choice between the classic defense of multilateralism and a vision of a chaotic world, of a jungle, where Washington should favor balance of power over cooperation.
“This election has enormous historical importanceunderlines Charles Kupchan, professor of international relations and expert at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank. Today, the political center of liberal democracies is in difficulty, whether here in France, in Germany, in Italy or in Brazil. If Trump wins, it would be a very worrying signal for the future of ideological moderation in the Western world. » In the United States, adds Charles Kupchan, foreign policy has become a subject of strong polarization between Democrats and Republicans, since the latter, under the domination of the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement, no longer form “an internationalist party”.
Foreign policy is approached without nuance to damage the credibility of the adversary. The candidates accuse each other of weakness, but in a different sense of the word. Donald Trump denounces the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 to highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s supposed disregard for America’s reputation and the fate of its soldiers. Conversely, Kamala Harris emphasizes the venality and narcissism of her opponent, which make him easy prey for the enemies of the United States.
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