President Biden plans to deliver a major foreign policy speech outlining what he believes to be the key parts of his legacy as part of his farewell to the country, according to a senior administration official.
The speech will be delivered Monday at the State Department, where he delivered his first major foreign policy speech as president in February 2021.
Mr. Biden will focus on his belief that America is stronger when it invests in its alliances across the world, the official said.
The president will also highlight his efforts to broaden and strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, improve relations with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and support Ukraine as it fends off Russian invaders.
He will also argue that he’s leaving President-elect Donald Trump an America in better shape on the world stage than the incoming president left him in 2021.
Mr. Biden is also expected to touch on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which was widely criticized and resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members. Voters soured on Mr. Biden after the bungled withdrawal and his approval ratings never recovered.
In his first major foreign policy speech, Mr. Biden declared that “America is back” and made several changes to distance his administration from the Trump years, including ending support for Saudi Arabia’s offensive operations against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The speech will kick off Mr. Biden’s last full week as president as he prepares to leave office on Jan. 20.
People familiar with his departure plans say Mr. Biden is planning a second speech before he exits the White House. That speech will be a farewell address in which Mr. Biden will offer a message to Americans with hope for the future and reflect on his 50 years of public service.
The parting address is expected to be similar to the farewell speeches delivered by Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
After losing the 2020 election, Mr. Trump posted a prerecorded video message online the day before Mr. Biden was sworn into office.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.