Biden finds a few Trump moves he will keep

President BidenJoe BidenBiden on Trump’s Acquittal: ‘The Content of the Accusation Is Not in dispute’ aggressively reverses its predecessor’s agenda, Donald TrumpDonald Trump Biden on Trump Acquittal: ‘Substance of Indictment Is Not in dispute’ North Carolina GOP Convicts Burr for Impeaching Trump Toomey on Trump Vote: ‘His Treason of the Constitution’ Required Conviction MOREBut that doesn’t mean a few things won’t survive.

Biden retains the US Space Force, which was founded under Trump, as well as the Artemis space flight program.

He is not reversing the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico signed by Trump early last year that replaced a trade pact that supported Biden as a US senator.

Biden government officials have also offered accolades to the Abraham Accords, a deal struck by the previous government that normalized relations between Israel and other Middle Eastern countries.

Biden has attempted to quickly reverse Trump’s governance record on everything from immigration to climate, signing executive action to rejoin the Paris climate deal, halting construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, the so-called Mexico City. revoke policies, reverse plans to leave the World Health Organization. Organization and promotion of the number of refugees.

Biden has also pledged to partially reverse the tax cuts passed under Trump, although he has not yet taken any concrete steps to do so.

Most of Trump’s moves were politically polarizing, and the former president saw minimal legislative victories during his tenure. Still, a few of Trump’s accomplishments deserved bipartisan support, including the passage of the First Step Act, which reduced sentences for drug offenses and allowed an earlier release for some time.

Biden expressed regret for backing the 1994 Crime Act on the campaign trail, calling it “a big mistake” and promising to enact his own criminal law reform.

Ames Grawert, senior counsel of the Brennan Center for Justice, called it an area ripe for expansion by Biden.

“We saw a First Step Act, but there was never a second,” he said.

But Grawert said there may be few other similarities between the two criminal justice administrations, noting that the Biden administration tried almost immediately to reverse the former attorney general’s policies. Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard Sessions ‘Catch and Release’ Is Back – With Additional Troubles, Biden’s DOJ Begins To Replace Trump-Appointed US Attorneys DOJ To Call For The Firing Of Most Trump-Appointed US Attorneys: Report MORE allow private prisons and encourage maximum sentences.

Trump also granted more pardon and leniency than some of his predecessors, often bypassing the Justice Department recommendation process and relying on lobbying from celebrities and other outside officials.

Grawert said Biden should explore ways to improve the process of providing assistance to deserving individuals.

“We need to figure out how to make the federal leniency process work better so you don’t have to rely on it Kim KardashianKimberly (Kim) Noel Kardashian WestHouse Democrats renew pressure for presidential pardon controls Will celebs return to DC after fleeing Trump under Biden? Lil Wayne Gets Pardoned 11th Hour Trump MOREWe need to find those people better, even if they don’t have celebrity advocates, ”he said.

Last week, the White House explicitly pledged to keep the Space Force, following press secretary Jen PsakiPress officer Jen PsakiWhite House resigns after threat from Politico reporter White House says it does not intend to require COVID-19 testing for domestic flights Cuomo is increasingly critical of COVID-19 nursing home deaths MORE raised eyebrows by declining a question about the service. Trump signed legislation to establish the Space Force as the sixth military arm in late 2019. The concept is rooted in a two-pronged proposal by House lawmakers in 2017, but Trump’s attempt to market it as a major achievement sparked controversy for the service.

Biden is also expected to benefit from new labor enforcement tools under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement, ratified after months of negotiations early last year, which represents another rare bipartisan legislative achievement. of the previous president.

“I think there will be a lot of continuity there,” said Edward Alden, an expert on economic competitiveness and trade at the Council on Foreign Relations. “The USMCA was a great twofold success.”

Yet Biden’s general approach to economic and foreign policy issues is already in stark contrast to Trump. Biden has emphasized the importance of alliances and partnerships in addressing issues from confronting China to tackling climate change and beating the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are moving from America First’s trade policy to one that will be built much more in concert with allies,” said Alden. “Much more effort will be made to work more closely with allies on economic and trade policy. You cannot deviate more sharply from the Trump approach. ”

Biden, like Trump, has embraced the idea of ​​a tough stance on China, but the new administration has crafted an approach that will focus on competition and distance itself from Trump’s more confrontational tactics. The new administration is undertaking a major overhaul of Trump-era economic and foreign policy decisions, including the review of the “phase one” US-China trade deal and the remaining tariffs in force on Chinese goods.

Some believe Biden will keep the tariffs in effect for now and use them as a bargaining chip to get a concession from China, but will eventually lift them. Alden said it is more likely that Biden will act quickly to reverse Trump’s tariffs on European goods.

“I think the most striking thing is how deliberate and patient they are on the Chinese trade front,” said Alden. “They are moving very slowly and deliberately to review options on Chinese trade, not quick to undo Trump’s record.”

Still, in some cases, the Biden White House may try to build on some of Trump’s actions when it comes to foreign policy.

The Abraham Accords restored diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, and the Biden administration has suggested it wants to build on it.

The then candidate Biden made no bones about coming out and saying, ‘I think this is a good thing. I think this is a positive thing. “And he has consistently said in recent months that he would like to continue this initiative,” Biden National Security Advisor Jake SullivanJake Sullivan Biden spends first weekend at Camp David as President Biden team calls on China to provide full data on COVID-19 outbreak Biden’s move to Yemen raises new questions. said last month.

Dennis RossDennis Alan RossBiden Leans on Establishing Foreign Policy to Build a Team Bandar Speaks Out: The Changing Landscape in the Mideast Rep. Ross Spano loses the Florida primary GOP amid scrutiny of campaign funding., a veteran diplomat who served on President Obama’s National Security Council, said that while Biden officials have backed the agreements, it remains to be seen whether the new administration will play an active or passive role to build on them.

“I hope it will be an active effort to build on this,” said Ross, who argued that future deals are more likely to succeed with a consistent US commitment.

But Biden’s overall message about dealing with other countries is a turnaround from the Trump era. Biden has sought to reassure the global community of his commitment to alliances and to indicate that decisions will be made in consultation with partners and not impulsively.

“What you’re seeing is sort of an attempt to show steadfastness across the board,” Ross said.