U.N. agencies and globalist organizations delivered a collective “sigh of relief” on Sunday as they awaited the prospect of Joe Biden in the White House and a return to the unrestricted flow of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Their joy at accessing the U.S. aid checkbook came 48-hours after the European Union applauded Biden, saying “things are going to get a lot easier” because he will be diplomatic putty compared to a combative Donald Trump, as Breitbart News reported.
“I think everyone is basically waiting with open arms for the U.S. government to come back,” said Manfred Elsig, an international relations professor at the World Trade Institute of Bern University, AFP reports.
President Donald Trump’s administration has been famously tough on global organizations that sought funding without commensurate fiscal accountability.
Trump cut U.S. ties to the U.N.’s top rights body, called the World Trade Organization to account and started withdrawing from the World Health Organization over its bungled response to the coronavirus pandemic and desire to kowtow to Beijing.
Trump also stood up to NATO and the refusal of most – but not all – of its members to pay their way rather than rely on U.S. taxpayer funds and forces to carry the load in Europe.
the president made no secret of the fact the organization was not pulling its weight financially and left the U.S. to “pay and bleed” for Europe’s defense, as Breitbart News reported.
As the prospect of a Biden triumph loomed, “there was a huge sigh of relief” within the international organisations, a Geneva trade official told AFP, asking not to be named.
For his part, Elsig expressed concern Trump may remain in public life and continue calling globalists to account, adding he was “really worried about the discourse in the U.S.”.
“If the Trump approach continues in the Republican Party… then we don’t have long-term support in the United States for international organisations.
“That is a huge problem.”
There will be other changes in foreign policy if Biden does eventually win out.
On climate change, as Breitbart News reported Biden has already stated he wants to return the U.S. to the Paris climate accord as soon as possible.
Trump argued the Paris deal placed a massive, one-sided burden on the U.S. economy, while allowing developing nations like China — which is responsible for much of the recent rise in global emissions — off the hook.
AFP contributed to this story
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.