Vice President Kamala Harris faces the fraught task Friday of reassuring US allies on the world stage, as lawmakers struggle to pass aid for Ukraine and Israel and former President Donald Trump threatens to abandon NATO allies.
In another high-profile moment, Harris will address the Munich Security Conference Friday – another speech to the annual conference amid a consequential moment in US foreign policy, as ongoing conflicts overseas have roiled domestic politics.
It also comes at a delicate time for the White House, which continues to grapple with the fallout of the special counsel report that called into question President Joe Biden’s mental acuity and has placed renewed focus on the vice president.
Chief among the worries from the US’ top allies is Trump’s statement last weekend that he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense.
After the Biden administration helped strengthen the bonds of the NATO alliance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump’s statement is sparking real concern that he would not abide by the collective-defense clause at the heart of the alliance if reelected.
Concern is also rising over the ability of Washington to send more aid to Ukraine. For months, the White House’s national security supplemental request that includes billions in funding for Ukraine and Israel, among other priorities, has remained stalled in Congress over GOP infighting.
Against that backdrop, White House officials have repeatedly warned of the dangers of ceding ground to Russia. Harris is expected to lean into that message Friday and draw a sharp contrast from Trump’s foreign policy approach.
“The Vice President will recommit to defeat…
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