-
Rep. Jim Jordan appeared to criticize Biden on Monday for attending diplomatic summits in Europe.
-
“While Biden pals around with his buddies in Europe, the border crisis rages at home,” he tweeted.
-
Conservatives have sought to make immigration at the US-Mexico border a rallying cry against Biden.
-
Sign up for the 10 Things in Politics daily newsletter.
GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio on Monday appeared to criticize President Joe Biden for attending the Group of Seven and NATO summits in recent days, saying that the president should instead focus his energies on the US-Mexico border.
“While President Biden pals around with his buddies in Europe, the border crisis rages at home,” Jordan, a conservative lawmaker and staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, wrote on Twitter. This, despite Biden attending the same diplomatic summits that Trump did during his single term in office.
Biden attended the 47th G-7 summit in the English county of Cornwall this past weekend.
While at the summit, Biden joined the leaders of the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan in signing a joint communiqué that addressed topics varying from strategies to end the coronavirus pandemic to a guideline for fighting climate change and an examination of international law regarding online safety and hate speech.
Biden is now attending the NATO summit in Brussels.
While Trump repeatedly criticized NATO over how the alliance is funded and reportedly discussed pulling out of the organization, Biden is aiming for a more diplomatic approach during his visit.
Republicans, who have decried the increase in unauthorized border crossings since Biden took office, have used immigration issues as a rallying cry against the president for months.
Read more: The Justice Department is scrutinizing Arizona’s pro-Trump vote audit as threats of violence and political fallout loom
Biden has sought to use his first trip abroad as president to reinstill confidence in the US as a global leader and ally after four chaotic years under Trump. The former president’s abrasive leadership style and tendency to aggressively challenge allies on issues such as trade and defense spending placed major strains on important partnerships. Recent polling has shown that the US’s global image has seen a boost with Biden at the helm as compared to the Trump era, particularly among European allies.
Trump frequently criticized NATO, presenting the alliance as outmoded while misconstruing the ways in which it functions.
The former president’s approach to NATO at times raised concerns that he would move to withdraw the US from the historic alliance at a time of increased aggression from Russia. Trump also stirred up anxiety by suggesting the US would not come to the defense of a fellow NATO ally if it were attacked, which would mark a violation of the organization’s fundamental principle of collective defense that’s enshrined in Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty.
In a major departure from Trump and his rhetoric toward the alliance, Biden in comments to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said that the US views Article 5 as a “sacred obligation.”
“I just want all of Europe to know that the United States is there. The United States is there,” Biden said.
Read the original article on Business Insider
