President Joe Biden’s final foreign policy speech of his presidency will go down in history not for its wisdom, but for its astonishing ability to rewrite reality. Instead of using this moment to acknowledge the painful failures of his administration and the consequences of his policies, Biden instead painted a fantasy in which America’s enemies are weaker, his leadership has been triumphant, and the world is somehow safer. None of this, of course, is true.
Take China, for example. Biden claimed that America’s enemies are on the back foot, but China has spent the last four years dramatically increasing the size and capability of its military while expanding its geopolitical influence across the globe. From the South China Sea to Africa and even into South America, Beijing’s reach has grown unchecked. Then there’s Russia. While one might argue that its war in Ukraine has depleted some of its military resources, the reality remains that Russia is still actively invading Europe, and no peace deal is in sight. So, how exactly are our adversaries weaker under Biden’s leadership?
BIDEN (delusional): “Compared to four years ago, America is stronger!” pic.twitter.com/08AQ4kTFcV
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 13, 2025
The only major adversary one could argue is somewhat weaker is Iran, but even that comes with a significant caveat: Iran’s setbacks have occurred in spite of Biden’s policies, not because of them. The weakening of Iran’s proxies in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza is thanks to Israel’s relentless military efforts, many of which were conducted in direct defiance of the Biden administration. Vice President Kamala Harris notoriously pressured Israel not to enter Rafah, claiming she had “studied the maps.” Yet Israel’s actions in Gaza not only rescued hostages but decimated Hamas’ command infrastructure. Similarly, Israel’s operations against Hezbollah have significantly reduced Iran’s regional influence. Biden played no meaningful role in these successes and, in some cases, actively tried to prevent them.
And then there’s Afghanistan—the colossal failure that defined Biden’s presidency on the global stage. During his speech, Biden attempted to paint his botched withdrawal as a success. This is simply insulting. The withdrawal, executed against the advice of military experts and intelligence officials, handed Afghanistan to the Taliban on a silver platter, creating a haven for terrorists and plunging the country into a humanitarian nightmare. Women can’t appear in public without a male escort, and child “marriages” (read: institutionalized abuse) are commonplace. The withdrawal also cost 13 American service members their lives and left countless allies stranded, a betrayal that will forever stain Biden’s legacy. Not once in his speech did he acknowledge the human cost of his decisions or express true remorse for the Gold Star families who still grieve.
BIDEN: “Today, I can report to the American people our adversaries are weaker than they were when we came into this job four years ago!”
He’s a delusional, dangerous liar. pic.twitter.com/qYNHiU1LAR
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 13, 2025
Biden’s decision to close his speech by proclaiming climate change as the “single greatest existential threat to humanity” only adds insult to injury. While no one disputes the importance of addressing environmental challenges, Biden’s climate rhetoric often feels like a convenient distraction from his policy failures.
He ignored the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans to push his favorite talking point—why confront tangible, immediate threats when you can shift the blame to an abstract “sky is falling” narrative? The reality is, humanity has become more resilient to natural disasters, with far fewer deaths caused by them than a century ago. Biden’s prioritization of climate change over pressing national security concerns is nothing short of grotesque.
Biden claims “foreign directed terrorism out of a safe haven in Afghanistan” has not occurred.
No word on the terrorists who entered his open southern border. pic.twitter.com/dzmsxtsBNw
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 13, 2025