U.S. President Joe Biden warned on Friday of a significant political shift in the wake of Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election.
During his final meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Trump stated, “We have now reached a moment of major political change.”
Biden, speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which was overshadowed by Trump’s return to power, predicted that this could be his last meeting as part of the trilateral alliance he fostered over the past year to counter North Korea and China.
The U.S. President expressed hope for the longevity of the alliance, remarking, “This alliance was built to last, and that’s what I hope and expect.” However, he issued a stern warning about the “dangerous and destabilizing cooperation” between North Korea and Russia, amidst growing concerns that nuclear-armed Pyongyang might deploy forces to fight in Ukraine.
The White House announced that the three leaders would formalize the alliance established last year by creating a permanent secretariat during a summit held at Camp David.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, speaking to reporters traveling with Biden, emphasized the administration’s commitment to institutionalizing the trilateral partnership to make it a “permanent feature of U.S. policy.”
Sullivan added that the initiative is expected to continue into Trump’s second term, noting, “We fully expect it to persist under the next administration, though naturally, it will make its own decisions.”
Trump’s victory overshadowed Biden’s participation in the APEC summit in Peru and the upcoming G20 summit in Brazil next week.
The “America First” policy championed by Trump threatens to disrupt U.S. alliances, as it did during his first term. However, the inclusion of China-critical Republicans in his administration suggests he may still rely on Seoul and Tokyo strategically.
On Saturday, Biden is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit.
