Joe Biden’s foreign foray is all about shoring up democracy – in the US | Henry Farrell

The president's visit to Europe isn't about trade deals but repairing US domestic politics

During his first trip abroad as US president last week, Joe Biden kept telling Europe that the US is back". Before the G7 meeting, Biden signed a new Atlantic charter with Boris Johnson that agreed to protect democracy and open societies. After Cornwall, he went on to more meetings in Brussels with the European Union, as well as a Nato summit and a head to head with Vladimir Putin in Geneva. Past presidents have viewed the EU as an irrelevant bureaucracy or a sinister threat. Biden described it as an incredibly strong and vibrant entity".

In his press conference with Emmanuel Macron, Biden seemed to promise that the US was returning to its normal role in international politics. After Donald Trump, some nostalgic politicians might even hope for a reinvigoration of the so-called rules-based liberal order which has purportedly prevailed since the second world war.