ANALYSIS
Joe Biden no longer needs to be concerned about how his actions may affect Kamala Harris’s chances, as she is no longer in the race.
Since President Joe Biden decided not to run in the 2024 election, he has been considered a “lame-duck” president—meaning his influence has been somewhat limited. With the election over and Donald J. Trump has been elected the next president, Biden no longer needs to be concerned about how his actions may affect Kamala Harris’s chances, as she is no longer in the race.
Could Biden use this extra flexibility in the coming months to make decisions that may have hurt Harris politically before Election Day?
Two Primary Areas of Focus
The president, for instance, could follow through on his warnings to Israel by reducing military aid if the humanitarian situation in Gaza does not get better. According to Clayton Allen, US director at the Eurasia Group, while such a decision is, indeed, possible, it is not probable as it would, possibly, face major political resistance within the US, reports GZERO Media.
Allen is suggesting that, since ‘Bibi’ (Benjamin Netanyahu) now knows Trump will be taking office in January, any attempts to make US support dependent on certain conditions will not be very effective. This is because Netanyahu may believe that Trump will provide support without imposing those conditions, making it easier for him to wait until the new Administration starts instead of agreeing to any requirements now.
Allen explains that Netanyahu expects things to improve for him in about two and a half months when Trump takes office. This makes it unlikely that he would change his approach in Gaza now, knowing that Trump could reverse any changes once he is in power.
Biden could choose not to block UN Security Council resolutions that aim to hold Israel responsible for its actions in Gaza. This means he could allow the UN to criticize, or take action against, Israel without using the US veto to stop it. Biden’s Administration has done something similar in the past. In March, it chose not to block a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire, which upset Netanyahu. However, these actions would mostly be symbolic and have little real impact on Netanyahu, who has already shown that he does not take the UN’s opinions on Israel’s decisions very seriously.
Another option could be for the US to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against targets in Russia, something that has been restricted by the US until now. Allen says this is a “more likely change” than Biden making any big moves against Israel, pointing out that the Administration had already been thinking about this option even before Trump’s win.
Allen suggests that steps may be taken to establish a formal security commitment to Ukraine through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the yearly defence funding Bill. However, this would be possible only if enough support is garnered in Congress.
In the end, it is unlikely that major policy changes will happen during this transition period. Zelensky seemed to recognize this in his congratulatory tweet to Trump, where he expressed the hope to work together toward a “just peace” once Trump takes office. Trump has promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, but he has not explained how he plans to make this happen.
(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany)
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)
Amid heavy pollution in Delhi, these 12 Indian cities enjoy fresh, clean air
Bigg Boss 18: Vivian Dsena confides in Kashish Kapoor about his stepdaughters, talks about his...
After S Jaishankar's conference, India slams Canada for action against Australian news channel
Sidhu Moosewala's parents share NEW pic of his baby brother, netizens say 'so cute'
‘It definitely does a lot of good to my ego’: Aishwarya Rai gets candid in film promotion interview
Ignored for Australia Tests, India star slams sensational Ranji Trophy double ton
Interviewer asks Aishwarya Rai ‘how do you look so fab’, she says…
How Biden’s Lame-Duck Period Could Influence Policy Decisions After Choosing Not to Run in 2024
Watch: Viral video shows heated argument between passengers in Delhi metro
Virat Kohli's 'new chapter for me' post ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy sends internet into frenzy
Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, donated over Rs 400 crore in one year, Gautam Adani gave Rs...
Delhi: Air pollution in national capital spike during Chhath Puja, AQI reaches 'severe' level
AUS vs PAK Live Streaming: When and where to watch Australia vs Pakistan 2nd ODI live in India?
'I gain weight as body...' Arjun Kapoor reveals being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease
Stark Visas: The Best Immigration Consultant in Delhi Sets Immigration Dreams High in Ahmedabad
KREEVA targets top 1% elite for its ultra-luxury homes in Delhi-NCR’s prime locations
Tata Group acquires another company for over Rs 18 crore days after Noel Tata joins board
WPL 2025 Retentions: Full list of players retained and released by all 5 franchises
ED raids main vendors of Amazon, Flipkart across multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai due to...
Anil Ambani suffers major setback, his company banned for 3 years due to...
Meet woman, a cuddler, professional hugger, earns Rs 7400 in 1 hour, she is...
Meet teen who started working from garage, now set to make Rs 25 crore at just 16 from...
Viral video: Slum children recreate Sabyasachi bridal wear, designer reacts; WATCH
Missing Home on Chhath Puja: Yearning and significance behind Bihar’s holy festival
Chhath Puja 2024 Day 4: Usha Arghya date, timings of sunrise, puja rituals, significance and more
Ricky Ponting wants Babar Azam to follow Virat Kohli's footsteps for THIS reason
Elon Musk's net worth surges by Rs 2193295096200 in a day after...
Meet India's richest female YouTuber, left teaching job, has Rs 43 crore net worth, now works as...
This fruit is called non-vegetarian, it is...
Meet man who was India's biggest con artist, he sold Taj Mahal, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Red Fort...
Nita Ambani reveals husband Mukesh Ambani follows a strict diet, here's what he eats
'Tu jhuti woh makkar': Influencer accuses 10-year-old of groping her; narrates ordeal in viral video
Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal name their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal; it means...
After returning as President, what will happen to cases against Donald Trump? Know here
25-year-old turns temple thief, steals ornaments worth Rs 78 lakh for...
Why Mahindra XUV700 is perfect for road trips and off-road adventures
Mahindra Scorpio N: A legacy of toughness with a modern twist
'Capable of loving more women': Kamal Haasan's bold take on marriage and relationships goes viral
How reaction time and speed tests can give gamers a competitive edge
This is world’s most polluted city with AQI of 1165, it’s just 409 kms away from Delhi
Blow to Gautam Adani as his company's shares fell 7% due to...
Pune Porsche crash: Father of teen driver's friend surrenders before court
Geographic and political nature of drug trafficking sea routes to India
Delhi AQI Update: Air quality turns 'severe', AQI reaches...
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT new plan for Jio users, offers 100 GB of free cloud storage for just Rs...
Delhi-Mumbai expressway to slash travel time to 25 minutes: Key stretch to open on...
'Modi govt is committed to building terror-free India': Union Minister Amit Shah
Chhath Puja 2024: What is the importance of bamboo basket in Chhath Puja?
SC to deliver verdict today on plea against NCLAT order transferring Jet Airways to winning bidder