London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

Would Joe Biden Be a Friend to Boris Johnson?

Would Joe Biden Be a Friend to Boris Johnson?

The U.S. election is weeks away and the doomsayers for the U.K.’s relationship with a post-Trump America are out in force. Joe Biden is “an Irish-American with no particular love for Boris Johnson or Brexit Britain,” thundered a Times of London column last week. Other Conservative voices predict that a Democrat victory would be disastrous for the Brits and would end the special relationship.
It’s fashionable to caricature Johnson as a populist mini-Trump, but Biden’s experienced foreign policy team will - fortunately - have a more sophisticated view. The prospects for a continuing partnership between the two old allies are bright enough, although an olive branch needs to come from London.

If Americans choose President Biden on Nov. 3, the British must engage actively with a Democrat White House. There would be pluses in dealing with an administration that repledges its support to the “alphabet” organizations such as NATO, the UN, the WHO and, yes, the EU. And there would be negatives, too.

The most likely damage would be to hopes for a quick U.S.-U.K. trade agreement — the centerpiece of Johnson’s foreign trade policy. A Democrat negotiating team would have different priorities. Labor standards and environmental issues would loom much larger.

But do not underestimate the allure of a return to diplomatic business across the Atlantic after the sulks and bust-ups of the past four years (which cost the U.K. an ambassador to Washington when Kim Darroch had to resign after the leak of a cable pillorying Trump).

The course of a truly special relationship never did run smooth and the view of Johnson and Trump as conjoined populists is far from the whole story. Though he’s an avowed admirer of the U.K. (at least when it comes to Queen Elizabeth II and Scottish golf courses), Trump clashed with London over Iran and browbeat his ally about trade with China. A U.S. representative recently warned the Brits agai

Of course, Biden would have preferred the U.K. to stay inside the European Union as a natural “hinge” between the two giant economic blocs on either side of the Atlantic. He’s bound to be warmer toward Brussels. If a victorious Biden met Angela Merkel or Emmanuel Macron before Johnson, it would be seen as a snub. But London has cards to play in a longer game.

There was similar angst when George Bush Senior seemed to make German Chancellor Helmut Kohl his preferred European partner rather than Prime Minister John Major. But Bush turned to Britain when he needed a diplomatic and military ally in the first Gulf War. A natural hawk, Biden understands the value of such commitments. Even under surefooted Merkel, Germany has drifted away from outright loyalty to NATO. The relationship between the U.S., France and the U.K. has become militarily more significant than at any time since the Cold War.

Ireland and the status of the post-Brexit border with Northern Ireland is admittedly a potential stumbling block. Biden makes much of his Irish ancestry on his mother’s side. A Democrat administration, according to the pessimists, would defer to the Irish lobby in Congress on the border disputes. Even this is time-limited, however. “At the end of the day the U.K. is more important to America than Ireland,” says Lewis Lukens, a former senior U.S. diplomat in London.

But the responsibility falls on the Brits to make the relationship flourish. The Covid-19 crisis will preoccupy the president and the White House will have limited bandwidth for foreign liaisons. The strong ties between the two countries’ intelligence, military and diplomatic bureaucracies will help. The chiefs of staff stay in close personal contact (often sharing eyerolling moments about Trump).

Karin von Hippel, the American head of Britain’s Royal United Services Institute, reckons the Biden team “will show a bit of humility post-Trump after the disrespect shown to [Justin] Trudeau, Merkel and [Theresa] May. They believe in partnership and getting global order back. Britain has always had an opportunity to influence that.”

A couple of years ago I heard Biden address a dinner party in London to honor Senator John McCain’s widow, Cindy. His views struck me as sharply hawkish on the Russia threat and the desire to project American values as a force for good. The real question is whether Johnson’s government has the appetite to engage. Conservative prime ministers from Churchill onward have put their personal stamp on foreign policy and looked at the bigger geopolitical picture. Johnson needs to do similar, and make his priorities clear. If his talk about “Global Britain” is more than just marketing, he must communicate that to fellow leaders.

Britain’s permanent position on the UN Security Council, military assets and foreign-aid network give it heft. Aligning with a new president’s favored projects can also be fruitful. The U.K. next year hosts a delayed international conference on climate change. A Biden administration would probably reverse Trump’s hostility to the Paris Agreement, so Johnson should trumpet his green credentials. His government inherits a strong environmental agenda from former Prime Minister David Cameron.

The U.K. also assumes the presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the threat from Moscow still looms large. May, another Johnson predecessor, successfully sought allied support after the Russian poisoning of Sergei Skripal on British soil. Sanctions have been placed on Vladimir Putin’s circle in concert with America. Johnson should work with any Biden administration to stiffen the spines of Nato allies.

American and European positions on Iran and China need reconciling too after the noisy disagreements with Trump. London could lead the charge. These gambits, not Brexit irritations or nitpicking discussions about “the special relationship,” are what count. If Johnson has the will, the U.K.’s strategic assets can provide the way.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Martin Ivens was editor of the Sunday Times from 2013 to 2020 and was formerly its chief political commentator. He is a director of the Times Newspapers board.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×