On their farewell tours, President Biden and his top foreign policy aides have boasted of how their administration has strengthened U.S. alliances during a period of rising global crises.

It was a signature achievement, they say, given the tense relations of the first Trump administration.

Mr. Biden basked in his final meetings with friendly leaders among the Group of 20 nations in Brazil last month.

A week later, outside Rome, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken attended his last gathering of top diplomats from the Group of 7 advanced economies, all U.S. allies, and noted that the group had strengthened ties with countries around the globe.

“We’ve transformed the group into a steering committee for the world’s leading democracies.,” he said.

But America’s alliances and partnerships under Mr. Biden’s stewardship have been complicated. Key partners have acted counter to the values that Mr. Biden has espoused, notably democracy, rule of law and human rights.