July 1, 2024

The United States’ chief diplomat defended President Joe Biden’s standing on the world stage on Monday, saying that his shaky performance at last week’s debate does not erase three and a half years of diplomatic achievements and that the U.S. president is very much fit to lead.

The comments by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, one of Biden’s closest aides, echoed a line that has been frequently used by Biden allies since Thursday night as they have sought to dismiss the president’s disastrous debate performance: It was just one bad night.

“If you look at surveys around the world — for what they’re worth — you see again and again and again that confidence in American leadership has gone up dramatically over the last three and a half years,” Blinken said. “That doesn’t just happen. It’s the product of choices, it’s the product of policies that we pursue, it’s the product of our engagement.”

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