As Donald Trump takes to the global stage with a flurry of high-profile meetings and bold policy declarations, President Joe Biden’s muted presence in Washington is drawing sharp criticism from within his own party.
Democrats, still grappling with the fallout from a bruising election loss, are openly lamenting what they view as Biden’s failure to capitalize on what is a critical transition period.
Instead of Biden using the time to assert his party against the incoming administration, it is Trump’s post-election moves that are dominating headlines.
It has left some Democrats frustrated by what they describe as a ‘communications and policy vacuum while Trump already appears to be dictating trade and immigration policy and sharing his vision of the new shape of U.S. government.’
While Biden stayed in Washington this weekend, Trump traveled to Paris, meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who is attempting to lobby Trump in the hope he will continue wartime aid when he takes power.
The trip marked Trump’s first major diplomatic engagement as president-elect, underscoring his intention to take charge even before his inauguration on January 20.
Their discussions centered on wartime aid for Ukraine and the broader challenges of European security, with Trump seizing the opportunity to address reporters briefly and post about U.S. interests in Syria.
The stark contrast was particularly evident as Damascus fell to rebels in Syria, a pivotal moment that saw Trump offering remarks on Ukraine and Syria while Biden refrained from public comment until the following day.
President Joe Biden appears to be having a muted presence in Washington in the final six weeks of his term in office
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has taken to the global stage with a flurry of high-profile meetings and bold policy declarations. He is pictured on Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right
The optics left an impression: Trump, the incoming president, appeared to be dictating U.S. foreign policy while Biden, who is still president for six weeks, remained largely silent.
The subdued approach from Biden has ignited a firestorm among Democrats, with many accusing him of ceding the spotlight to Trump.
Critics argue that Biden’s reluctance to engage more forcefully during the transition has allowed Trump to dominate the narrative unchallenged.
‘The American tradition is that the nation has only one president at a time. Right now, that president looks like Donald Trump—because President Biden is ceding the spotlight,’ said one Democratic strategist to the Wall Street Journal.
Progressive voices have been especially critical.
Usamah Andrabi, spokesman for the progressive group Justice Democrats, described Biden’s actions as ‘one of the lamest of lame ducks we’ve seen with a Democratic administration. A massive missed opportunity.’
Andrabi warned that Trump’s ability to shape the public discourse uncontested could have long-term repercussions for the Democratic Party.
Trump’s rapid maneuvering has only intensified the frustrations Democrats are feeling.
Trump’s assertive post-election moves have been dominating the headlines including his unusual handshake with France’s President Emmanuel Macron
President-elect Donald Trump is seen at the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame on Saturday after five years of restoration work following the 2019 fire
In the weeks following his victory, Trump has managed to assembled his cabinet and senior staff with unprecedented speed, dining with world leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-A-Lago and Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump’s proposed nominees, including controversial picks for key positions like Kash Patel for FBI director, have sparked debate, but his decisiveness has largely kept Democrats on the defensive.
‘We should be less hobbled and more spurred. We should be vocal, pushing back against these nominees who are nothing but a disaster in the making,’ said Washington’s Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee.
Biden’s more restrained approach contrasts sharply with how President Barack Obama handled Trump’s 2016 victory.
After Trump’s election, Obama allowed the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution criticizing Israeli settlement expansion, held a White House press conference, and took steps to assert his administration’s continued authority.
Biden, by contrast, has focused on judicial appointments and international trips to Brazil and Africa, leaving his critics questioning his priorities.
All appeared to be well between Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister at Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago last month, following Trump’s election win
‘President Biden is making every day of this term count as he accelerates the implementation of an unprecedented agenda that will benefit hardworking Americans for generations,’ said White House spokesman, Andrew Bates.
Democratic governors meeting in Los Angeles over the weekend expressed concern about the party’s direction under Biden, particularly in countering Trump’s aggressive moves.
Many warned that Biden’s muted response to Trump’s transition period risks creating a perception of Democratic passivity.
‘If your values are being attacked, or you’ve got communities or people who are being attacked that don’t deserve it, you’ve got to fight like hell,’ said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
Yet, Murphy acknowledged the need for Democrats to maintain a pragmatic relationship with the incoming administration.
‘Every diner I go to, it’s the same message: ‘How are you going to make my life more affordable?’ said New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer who has launched his own campaign for New Jersey governor.
Others within the party pointed to a deeper issue: the lack of a cohesive, clear message that resonates with voters.
‘The only way to win the war of attention is by going to the voters and explaining things to them, which President Biden has consistently avoided doing,’ said Waleed Shahid, a progressive Democratic strategist.
‘Most voters don’t know Kash Patel or even who Matt Gaetz or Tulsi Gabbard are,’ said Shahid, referring to Trump’s nominees to lead the FBI. ‘But many more Americans would know, if President Biden spoke about them.’
Vice president Harris has been largely silent despite vowing to continue ‘the fight that fueled this campaign.’
She has been on vacation in Hawaii and has now returned to her duties in Washington D.C. but has done little to influence voters’ minds about the incoming Trump administration.
Biden has focused on judicial appointments and international trips to Brazil and Africa, leaving his critics questioning his priorities
Biden is seen looking down at his notes during a summit in Angola in Africa
As Trump’s approval ratings for his transition efforts hover around 59 percent according to a recent CBS/YouGov poll, Democrats face an uphill battle in shaping public opinion of the incoming administration.
Trump appears energized and focused on following through on many of his campaign promises.
When Trump was asked if he would prosecute the Biden family, he gave a measured response.
‘I’m not looking to go back into the past. I’m looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success,’ he said.
When Trump visited the White House following his electoral victory, Biden offered him a cordial ‘Welcome back!’ rather than making any challenges towards some of the policies the president-elect had been airing.
Some argue that Biden’s reluctance to challenge Trump more directly has squandered an opportunity to highlight the dangers of his agenda.
‘The only way to debunk the notion that Trump has a mandate is by showing the consequences of his agenda on the middle class,’ said Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson to WSJ.com.
When Trump visited the White House following his election victory, Biden offered him a cordial ‘Welcome back!’ rather than making any challenges towards some of the policies the president-elect had been airing
Joe Biden didn’t even visit the reopening of Notre Dame this past weekend. Instead it was down to First Lady Jill Biden, with Donald Trump seen sitting close by
Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were seen attending the 47th Kennedy Center Honors gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Sunday night
But as Trump builds momentum, many Democrats fear that their window to shape the narrative is rapidly closing.
Some have suggested how following Hunter Biden’s pardon Democrats would like to see him pardon other potential targets of the incoming Trump administration and offering a shield.
Others would like Biden to use his powers to introduce safeguards against vulnurable people in the U.S. including undocumented immigrants that Trump is keen to deport.
With six weeks remaining in Biden’s presidency, the stakes are high for a party searching for a way to counter Trump’s dominance.
For now, the president-elect is seizing the moment, leaving Democrats to question how their own leader failed to meet it.