US President faces backlash for visiting Japan amid debt crisis

Although Mr. Biden announced that he would cancel his trip to Papua New Guinea and Australia to return to Washington and continue negotiations with congressional leaders on May 21, he was criticized by lawmakers for abandoning the talks midway.

“We’re on the brink of default. And we saw helicopters flying over here. I think he’s going to Japan right now, and I just want to scream, ‘Stop, stop!’” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said at a press conference on Capitol Hill on May 17.

Ms. Capito criticized the president for always prided himself on being a good negotiator, but refused to negotiate with Republicans in early February and waited until last week to start meeting with them.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also said that Mr. Biden should not make this trip. “I think America wants an American president who focuses on American problems,” the Republican said.

What does the White House say?

The White House has dismissed Republican criticism of Mr Biden leaving Washington altogether, stressing the importance of the G-7.

President Joe Biden waves before departing for Hiroshima, Japan to attend the G7 summit. Photo: Sydney Morning Herald

“One of the responsibilities of the president of the United States is to lead us on the international stage, which is incredibly important and critical. There are important domestic issues, but there are also international issues that the president must take on,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan supported the decision to cancel the second leg of the trip. “As we were getting ready to leave, the president decided to come back to Washington in the final days before the deadline to make sure the United States didn’t fall off a cliff,” Sullivan said.

“The president is confident that we can avoid default, but the reason he’s coming back is to make sure it does happen,” Sullivan said.

Biden has sent Vice President Harris to update reporters on the negotiations, and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard will also be present while the president is abroad. But that hasn’t satisfied Republican lawmakers.

“The US could default on its debt as early as June 1, which is only 16 days away. Yet President Biden still plans to board a plane to Japan,” criticized Senator John Cornyn.

Meanwhile, some Democrats also defended Biden’s decision to leave. “I don’t think he needs to be in the room. He’s the one leading the people in the room, but he could do it over Zoom or on the phone. He has a lot of things going on in the world to worry about,” said Sen. Jon Tester, R-Texas.

“President Biden has a meeting with the G7. This is an effort to establish global security, so that is a very high priority,” said Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat.

Biden's argument

Before the plane took off, Mr. Biden made surprising comments that leaders could reach a deal before the US defaults on June 1.

The president also said he would cut short his trip and return on May 21. His absence led to the cancellation of another international event, the Quad leaders summit (Quad, which includes the US, India, Australia and Japan).

The Sydney summit marks a key moment for Mr Biden to boost ties with Australia, India and Japan to create a counterweight to China.

Skipping the G7 summit in Japan this week should be a last resort, Biden said, and could send the wrong signal to both Republicans and foreign allies.

“Joe Biden has always shied away from the crises his policies have created, whether it’s the border crisis, the energy crisis, or the debt crisis,” Republican Party leader Elise Stefanik criticized. Photo: rollcall.com

But even if his visits to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia take place, the threat of a US default will overshadow Mr Biden’s efforts to nurture key relationships and restore US leadership.

If Biden skips this week’s G7, he could still participate virtually, aides said. The G7 has met that way several times during the conflict in Ukraine, with mixed results. But Biden values in-person interactions, especially with high-level leaders like those gathering in Hiroshima this weekend.

Some Biden aides worry that abandoning travel plans to stay in Washington could look like a concession to Republicans who are demanding spending negotiations in exchange for raising the national debt ceiling.

There is also the question of what message it will send to world leaders, who are watching the debt-ceiling standoff from afar and quietly worrying about America’s political stability. According to White House officials, failure to meet America’s obligations would have disastrous effects that go beyond economic concerns .

Nguyen Tuyet (According to CNN, The Hill)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/tong-thong-my-bi-phan-ung-vi-sang-nhat-giua-khung-hoang-no-cong-a608411.html