We examine efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s military and the ceasefire negotiated between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah in the final months of the Biden administration.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
The Biden administration made some late-game moves. It helped broker a cease-fire agreement between Hezbollah, Lebanon and Israel, and is seeking to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia before President Donald Trump takes office. NPR’s Ron Elbing joins us now. Ron, thanks for being with us.
RON ELVING, BYLINE: Great to be with you, Scott.
SIMON: There were some last-ditch moments in two major international conflicts. What does President Biden want to leave behind for the next Trump administration?
ELVING: They’re well aware that the Trump administration is trying to chart its own course on these foreign crises as well as on many other issues. But the Biden administration has a responsibility to leave allies as strong as possible in the face of these crises. So in Ukraine, President Biden is giving the green light to expanded use of U.S. long-range weapons against Russia, strengthening Ukraine’s defenses and perhaps strengthening its negotiating position if things move toward talks. I’ve seen it.
Trump is believed to be less involved in Ukraine than Biden. But this is also an area where Trump has somewhat less support among Republican senators. Let’s see how it goes. Mr. Biden is also interested in having something to say in the face of critics who say he has not done enough, or in some cases, done too much, on Ukraine.
How can the Middle East supply weapons to Israel without taking at least some responsibility for how they are used? A ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah may buy some time and further isolate Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the question of Iran and its role in all this remains open.
SIMON: I want to ask you about the high tariffs that President-elect Trump has promised not only to China but also to Canada and Mexico, which many Americans do not believe pose a national security threat to the United States. I don’t think so.
Elbing: That’s…
SIMON: Yes, please. you are reading
ELVING: It’s been a long time since we sent troops against Mexico or Canada. In general, the two countries are friendly neighbors, major trading partners, and top trading partners with China. But in President Trump’s view, the two countries have become bad neighbors because of the deadly drugs and too many migrants that have crossed the border in recent years. Now, Trump has been beating this drum since at least 2015.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke by phone with Trump, and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau boarded a plane to Mar-a-Lago this week for dinner and perhaps some sort of agreement. Both he and Sheinbaum are keen to get out of this crisis quickly and avoid a trade war. President Trump certainly seems to be thinking seriously about these threats, but he also certainly knows that these tariffs pose an inflationary risk, especially when it comes to food and energy.
SIMON: Voting has begun for House seats, but the final tally appears to be close. What does this mean for House Republicans hoping to get a lot of work started in January?
ELVING: They should all be there because – look, remember that two years ago it took 15 votes for House Republicans to elect their leader, Kevin McCarthy, as Speaker. It was tough for Mr. McCarthy as his majority was very narrow, less than 10 out of 435 seats. Well, it looks like current Speaker Mike Johnson’s vote share in the first week of January 2025 is even smaller. Probably 219 Republicans to 215 Democrats. That means two defectors could create a tie and a loss.
SIMON: Several people have pointed out that this Trump cabinet is politically diverse. You have Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – supporting abortion rights. Lori Chavez-Deremer is a labor union supporter. Scott Bessent has previously held fundraisers for Al Gore and Hillary Clinton. Will this pretend to be another 2nd season?
ELVING: You know, you mentioned Scott Bessent’s past history of supporting Democrats. Trump himself once had such a history. But Mr. Bessent, a gay man with a husband and children, sometimes raised eyebrows within the Republican Party.
RFK Jr. may shock some Trump supporters as a Health and Human Services secretary who supports abortion rights. And the outcry is being heard in Trump’s world. You also mentioned Chavez Delemer. She voted in favor of a bill that would make it easier for workers to form and join unions. That’s anathema to many Republicans. But then she was supported by the Teamsters, and you may remember that Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien gave a speech at the Republican National Convention. This is a Cabinet designed to please President Trump himself: unpredictable, mediagenic, camera-friendly, TV-savvy, and most of all loyal to Trump.
SIMON: NPR’s Ron Elving, thank you so much.
ELVING: Thank you, Scott.
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