US Congress’s foreign policy role to grow under Biden

Significance

Before the inauguration, Congress will focus on confirming Biden’s nominees to key foreign policy and national security posts. Confirming Biden’s picks is now easier since the Senate will soon switch to Democratic control.

Impacts

• Biden will involve Congress more than Trump did in foreign policy decision-making.
• Achieving consensus in foreign policy will not be easy, for instance regarding re-entering the JCPOA with Iran.
• Biden will increase the attention paid to non-traditional security threats in foreign policy, including climate change.
• Unpicking last-minute Trump foreign policy moves will be rapid in some cases, slow in others.