Calm and competence return to the White House

But is the Biden team operating on wrong assumptions even as it seeks to undo Trump-era mistakes?

The image conveyed by Washington is one of calm, with President Joe Biden himself sporting a reassuringly sober look while his officials appear to go about their business with a quiet, effortless competence, says the writer.
The image conveyed by Washington is one of calm, with President Joe Biden himself sporting a reassuringly sober look while his officials appear to go about their business with a quiet, effortless competence, says the writer. PHOTO: NYTIMES
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It's been a month since Mr Joe Biden was sworn in as US President, far too short a period to pronounce definitively on his administration. Still, even at this early stage, the kernels of his foreign and security policies are beginning to emerge quite clearly.

And so are the difficulties which the new administration is likely to face.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 20, 2021, with the headline Calm and competence return to the White House. Subscribe