In recent days, President Donald Trump’s administration has attempted to spin criticism of the Biden administration for anti-democratic and authoritarian policies into a positive light for America. The move comes as the Biden administration touts its support for a strong democratic system and the need to hold authoritarian governments accountable.
The most obvious move is the administration’s criticism of Beijing for its human rights records and continued crackdown on its own people, while not holding other countries around the world up to the same high standard. The Biden administration has also criticized other authoritarian governments such as Russia and the United Arab Emirates for their oppressive policies.
Additionally, the Biden administration recently issued sanctions on Belarus for their undemocratic election in 2020, and for refusing to allow independent observers and international monitors to observe the polls. The sanctions are the first punitive measures that the Biden administration has levied on a foreign government, though other countries, such as Turkey, have been met with much milder forms of denouncement.
The Trump administration has seized upon this criticism of other countries to tout the Biden administration’s attempts to preserve democracy and to hold authoritarian governments accountable. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, “The sanctions against Belarus are a testament to the Biden administration’s commitment to defending democracy, rule of law, and human rights around the world.”
However, some observers point out that the Biden administration’s approach to other authoritarian governments has not been entirely consistent. For example, the Biden administration recently opted not to push for additional sanctions or other punitive measures against China. This has led some to question the purpose behind Biden’s criticism of other authoritarian countries, and whether it is truly to hold these governments accountable, or to score political points at home.
Overall, it remains to be seen what the Biden administration’s approach to authoritarian countries will be going forward. But it is clear that the Trump administration is attempting to spin the criticism of Biden as some sort of victory for democracy and a threat for authoritarian governments. Whether this approach is effective remains to be seen, as more details emerge about the Biden administration’s plans and policies on authoritarian governments going forward.