Wilmington | President-elect Joe Biden proclaimed on Tuesday that America was “back, ready to lead the world,” presenting the heavyweights he has chosen to lead diplomacy and security in his future government.
• Read also: Reluctantly, Trump accepts transition to Biden presidency
On a large stage in his stronghold of Wilmington, the 78-year-old Democrat presented the first six big names nominated to accompany him upon his arrival at the White House on January 20. All masked and from a distance, COVID-19 requires.
With the return of multilateralism as a key message, a counterpoise to “America first” still advocated on Tuesday by Donald Trump. And his “determination” to fight against climate change.
“This is a team that reflects the fact that America is back, ready to lead the world and not to walk away,” said Joe Biden, accompanied by future vice president Kamala Harris.
This first round of appointments includes several seasoned personalities who served under Barack Obama, such as Antony Blinken, future head of diplomacy.
“We cannot solve the world’s problems alone,” said the former State Department number two.
“Multilateralism is back, diplomacy is back,” added the future American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
“Existential threat”
Signaling his commitment to fight against the “climate crisis”, an “existential threat”, the future 46th president of the United States created a role of special emissary for John Kerry, ex-chief of the American diplomacy.
“I do not underestimate for a single second the difficulties in meeting my bold commitments”, launched the president-elect, who promised to return from the first day of his mandate in the Paris agreement and to reach the United States to carbon neutrality in 2050.
“But at the same time, no one should underestimate for a single second my determination to do it,” he added in a speech of less than 15 minutes, without accepting any questions.
John Kerry himself signed, on behalf of the United States, the climate agreement negotiated in 2015.
Saying that he wants to give a greater place to women and minorities, the former vice-president of Barack Obama has appointed several pioneers, with the first Hispanic at the head of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the first woman at the head of intelligence services, Avril Haines.
The Democrat also plans, according to a source in his entourage, to appoint to the Treasury the former president of the Central Bank Janet Yellen, a post so far still occupied by men.
By choosing these qualified personalities and accustomed to power, Joe Biden signals a return to a more traditional policy than his predecessor Donald Trump, who arrived in Washington on the promise to break with the establishment.
“America first” –
After two weeks of unprecedented denial in American history, the outgoing president finally gave the green light on Monday evening to initiate the process of transition to a Biden administration.
Without conceding his defeat in the presidential election of November 3.
Just before, the government agency responsible for the transition protocol, the GSA, sent a letter informing Joe Biden that it was finally opening the process, in an “independent” decision.
Understand: Not on command of the outgoing president, but after certification of results in several key states and a series of legal setbacks for the Trump team.
After Michigan on Monday, Pennsylvania and Nevada in turn certified Tuesday the victory of Joe Biden, declared the winner of the presidential election on November 7.
Concretely, this green light releases funds for the Biden team and opens the door to the Trump administration to coordinate on hot topics, such as the upcoming vaccination campaign to fight the pandemic.
Joe Biden will also finally have access to classified information.
In an interview with NBC, the president-elect indicated that “yes” the transition had “already started”.
“We have been contacted by the National Security people (…) We are already preparing a meeting with the COVID team at the White House”.
“And the contacts were sincere,” he said. “There has been no resentment so far. And I don’t expect there to be ”.
Appearing more and more isolated in his attempt to deny defeat, Donald Trump did not have a word on Tuesday for the election in two public speeches.
Without accepting any questions in the White House press room, he first welcomed the New York Stock Exchange record and the progress towards a vaccine against COVID-19.
And during the often humorous speech given by American presidents before pardoning a turkey, a traditional meeting at the White House on the occasion of the great Thanksgiving holiday, he recalled his slogan: “As I say, America first. We should not turn away from it: America first ”.
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