WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden begins his six-day visit to Peru and Brazil on Thursday for the final major international summits of his presidency, while world leaders turn their attention to what Donald Trump 's return to the White House means for their countries. The visit to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru and stops in the Amazon rainforest and at the Group of 20 leaders summit in Brazil offer Biden one of his last chances as president to meet with heads of state he's worked with over the years. But world leaders' eyes are firmly affixed on Trump.
They already are burning up Trump's phone with congratulatory talks and taking stock of his picks for key national security and foreign policy positions. At least one leader, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, is dusting off golf clubs he hasn't used in eight years, just in case the chance to bond with the golf-loving Trump should present itself. "This is not going to be a swan song for Biden," said Erin Murphy, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
"Not only is he a lame duck, but a super lame duck because his successor is going to have very different policies." White House officials insist that Biden's visits to APEC and the G20 will be substantive, with talks on climate issues, global infrastructure, counternarcotic efforts and one-on-one meetings with global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, and a joint meeting with South Korea's Yoon and Jap.
