Interviewing for the very first time after leaving the White House, the ex-American President Joe Biden made a broad denouncement of Donald Trump’s foreign policy, stating he is employing “modern-day appeasement” tactics in his approach to the Ukraine-Russia situation. In an interview with the BBC Radio 4’s program Today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, Biden referred to British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s ill-fated attempts to appease Adolf Hitler during the 1930s, and asserted Trump’s move for Ukraine to transfer land to Russia has the potential to encourage authoritarian leaders around the globe.
“I just don’t understand how people think that if we allow the thug, the dictator, to do the math he’s going to seize big great swaths of land to which he is not entitled and that will satisfy him,” Biden said, naming Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I just don’t understand.” The words reflect deep concern about the implications of Trump’s stance, which have left American allies distraught and fueled fears of even greater undermining of democratic principles.
A Tense Oval Office Gathering and Rare Rhetoric
Biden’s denunciation even stretched to Trump’s foreign-policy language in general. He characterized Trump’s behavior at an acrimonious Oval Office sitdown in February 2025 with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as “beneath America.” Tense, as appeared to have been orchestrated, the sitdown occurred in the context of Biden’s and Trump’s differing approaches to backing up Ukraine. Biden denigrated Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric to purchase Panama, Greenland, and Canada, and his reference to the “Gulf of America”—something which has puzzled experts and ambassadors.
“What’s wrong with this man?” Biden asked rhetorically. “What president talks like that?” “That’s not us. We are the nation of freedom, of democracy, of opportunity, not of confiscation.” Increasing unease about Trump’s unconventional and inflammatory language has shaken allies and cast doubts about whether the United States is willing to remain in its longstanding role as global leader.
A Threat to World Democracy?
When asked if the current international environment is the most serious threat to democracy after World War II, Biden answered affirmatively. “What are the number of European leaders in European countries?” he asked. “They’re saying, well, what do I do now? What’s the best course of action for me to take? Can I count on the United States to be there?” This is part of a broader fear among members of the NATO alliance and the other democracies, many of whom have relied on American leadership to stop authoritarian regimes.
Biden came very close to labeling Trump as a monarch but said tellingly, “He’s not acting like a Republican president.” He exposed Trump’s last 100 days as president as far from “triumphant” and his presidency as probably to be seen unfavourably by history. Biden was tentatively optimistic about the health of American democracy as he stated, “I’m less concerned about democracy at risk in the US than I have been in the past because I believe the Republican Party is waking up to what Trump is about.”
Looking back on Ukraine and at his legacy
Biden’s term was also influenced by his response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. America under his leadership provided over $65 billion in economic, military, and humanitarian support to Kyiv, bringing together European allies and enacting sweeping sanctions against Russia. In the final months of his term, Biden certified the deployment of long-range American missiles in Russia and sped up delayed aid to Ukraine, looking ahead to potential policy changes under Trump. It was all this, Biden asserted, that was responsible for defending democratic principles and countering authoritarian aggression.
Reflecting now back at his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential bid, Biden dismissed the notion that he should have gotten out sooner. “I don’t think it made any difference.” He defended his timing by citing his administration’s record and by noting his handpicked successor was “well funded” and in great shape. “We left at the right time because we had a good candidate.” It was hard to say now I’m going to quit now, he explained. He acknowledged the difficulty of quitting, calling it “a tough one” but one he took in order to “pass this to the next generation.”
Biden’s Post-Presidency and Loose Ends
Biden has been quietly out of office but far from reluctant to criticize the Trump government where necessary. Condemning Trump’s reductions to the Social Security Administration last month, he explained the administration has been working at “breathtaking” levels of “damage and destruction” in under 100 days. A return to the spotlight, particularly about issues of democracy and global leadership, is marked by the visit to BBC Radio 4 and planned ABC’s The View interview to take place on the 8th of May.
Biden addressed the nation at the crossroads. Trump’s foreign policy, from revived calls to take back Greenland and send American troops to Panama, has come under relentless fire from American and global voices. Relations with Ukraine are strained meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin having reiterated his commitment to preserving the peace and not being at the threshold of nuclear war—a statement of what’s at risk under American approach in the area. Domestic front, Trump’s discourse concerning America’s economy—taking credit for upturning trends and blaming bad on Biden—also further polarized political spectrum.
A Divided Vision for America’s Role
Biden’s critique emphasizes the fundamental difference in his and Trump’s vision of America’s role within the global community. Where Biden addressed multilateralism, democratic values, and common security, Trump’s vision—unilateralism and deal-making diplomacy—perplexed allies and emboldened adversaries. Biden’s warnings about “modern-day appeasement” ring true to historians and foreign-policy leaders attuned to analogies some see being played out before World War II.
As various countries in Europe struggle to cope with the implications of an increasingly unpredictable American foreign policy, Biden’s words have particular resonance, particularly with those viewing him as an agent of stability in uncertain circumstances. That he spoke his piece of words on Victory in Europe Day, a day of historical reflection, is proof of the timeliness of his words: the past must teach the lessons necessary to secure the future of democracy.
As Trump’s presidency is still in its inception, the globe waits with bated breath. Will the United States remain a steadfast ally, or will it further embark on the road to isolationism and territorial ambition? Biden’s reply is instant: “We’re about freedom, democracy, opportunity.” How long such a vision will endure is contingent upon the actions taken in Washington and elsewhere.
