Foreign Affairs, the U.S. foreign policy establishment’s leading journal on foreign policy, has just published an “essay” by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that is, in essence, a foreign policy campaign ad for Biden 2024. It lists all of President Joe Biden’s “accomplishments” while taking shots at his leading GOP contender, former President Donald Trump. Consider it a campaign donation by the esteemed Council on Foreign Relations.

Sullivan’s piece is titled “The Sources of American Power,” and after a brief look at the events of the “post-Cold War era” (which Sullivan claims has ended), it launches into Biden’s accomplishments: “investing in innovation and industrial strength at home”; “promoting new breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, clean energy, and semiconductors”; “build[ing] resilient, durable supply chains”; “rebuilding” the U.S. defense industrial base; strengthening the U.S. nuclear deterrent; strengthening our alliances and strategic partnerships in Europe and Asia; improving outreach to Africa and the “global South”; working to “defend democracy across the globe”; taking the lead to solve “global” problems, such as the pandemic and climate change; “modernizing the World Bank” to support the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals; promoting global health; ending the war in Afghanistan; killing terrorist leaders; taking a “disciplined approach” to conflicts in the Middle East; supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia; engaging in competition but also cooperation with China; and using diplomacy to resolve differences.

Sullivan includes in the essay criticism of the Trump administration. He blames Trump for weakening our alliances, failing to lead on global health issues, and neglecting climate change. Trump, he claims, instead of trying to shape the international order, “pulled back from it,” and he implies that this is what caused Russian aggression in Ukraine and increased Chinese assertiveness toward Taiwan.

Absent from Sullivan’s rendition of accomplishments and events is the fact that, for example, Russia’s aggressions in Ukraine occurred first on Barack Obama’s watch, then again on Biden’s. Russia did not make an aggressive move in Ukraine or anywhere else while Trump was president. Also absent from Sullivan’s account is that the administration’s “disciplined approach” to the region did not deter Hamas and Iran from launching the current war against Israel. Trump’s Middle East policy, as manifest in the Abraham Accords, was a model of peace and stability compared to Biden’s “disciplined approach.” While it is true that Biden “ended” our involvement in Afghanistan, he did so in disastrous fashion. And as for China’s increased assertiveness in the South China Sea — Biden is the president who said he does not want to contain China. Under Biden, the number of U.S. warships is falling, and our nuclear deterrent has been weakened vis-à-vis Russia and China. And most notably, Sullivan fails to mention the mess at the U.S. southern border — a mess created by the Biden administration that has both negative domestic and dangerous national security implications.

But Sullivan’s piece isn’t really about policy; it’s about shaping the narrative when it comes to assessments of Biden’s foreign policy. And, fundamentally, it’s about getting Biden reelected in 2024.  

Sullivan concludes the “essay” by claiming that the Biden administration will “leave America stronger than we found it.” Expect to hear more about all of this in Biden 2024 campaign ads. Perhaps Foreign Affairs will give the Trump campaign equal access to its journal — but don’t hold your breath on that.