Joe Biden is close to clinching the presidency in the midst of a turbulent election returns period against Donald Trump. As foreign leaders prepare for a possible Biden administration in advance, UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have some trouble forging a relationship with Biden.
The Daily Mail reports that Johnson has actually never met the former vice president-turned-presidential candidate, so it remains to be seen how relations between the two leaders will happen. According to people knowledgeable in the matter, the Biden campaign has strictly limited interactions between Biden and international leaders in order to avoid any controversy similar to Trump. The Republican incumbent’s campaign team was revealed to have met with Russian government officials prior to the 2016 elections.
Nevertheless, the speculation is there, especially as Johnson once blasted Biden’s former colleagues, former president Barack Obama and former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Johnson described Obama as “part-Kenyan” with a traditional dislike of the British Empire and Clinton as a “sadistic mental health nurse.”
However, it is known that Biden always moves toward bipartisanship and would see the UK as a natural ally rather than take to heart any political jabs. Johnson has also weighed in on Trump’s early claims of victory during the elections, saying that the American people are the ones who would decide the winner. The prime minister has also noted that the special relationship between the US and the UK would remain the same, regardless of who wins between Biden and Trump.
Aside from relations with the UK, there is also the matter of relations between the US and Canada. Relations between the two countries were strained during the Trump administration, and Biden may seek to restore it to the way it was before Trump became president. Canadians remain skeptical that relations between the US and Canada would be brought back on good terms. This is, despite a Biden administration, while seemingly more friendly in approach, there is a chance that cross-trade may get complicated.
“If the White House goes back to really putting Canada firmly in “best friend” category, which is where we’ve been, I think that would go a long way to making both countries a lot better,” said former British Columbia premier Christy Clark.