Home || All Candidates || Military assistance: Ukraine | Israel | Saudi Arabia | Taiwan || Mexico border || Arms Trade Treaty
Joe BidenJoseph (Joe) Biden was born in 1942. After a brief stint as a public defender, he began his political career in the Senate in 1973 representing Delaware as a Democrat, serving until 2009. During this time he served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2001 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2009. He was nominated as Barack Obama's running mate in 2008 and served as Vice President of the United States from 2009 until 2017. In 2020, he was elected President of the United States and currently holds that position.
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Military Assistance to Ukraine
Biden is in favor of military assistance to Ukraine. He has called for ongoing and increased military support.
Remarks, October 20, 2023.
"American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel, it’s just not worth it."
"On Ukraine, I’m asking Congress to make sure we can continue to send Ukraine the weapons they need to defend themselves and their country without interruption so Ukraine can stop Putin’s brutality in Ukraine."
Arms to Israel
Biden is in favor of military assistance to Israel. He has called for ongoing and increased military support.
Remarks, October 20, 2023.
"American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel, it’s just not worth it."
"In Israel, we must make sure that they have what they need to protect their people today and always.
The security package I’m sending to Congress and asking Congress to do is an unprecedented commitment to Israel’s security that will sharpen Israel’s qualitative military edge, which we’ve committed to — the qualitative military edge.
We’re going to make sure Iron Dome continues to guard the skies over Israel. We’re going to make sure other hostile actors in the region know that Israel is stronger than ever and prevent this conflict from spreading."
Arms to Saudi Arabia
Biden is in favor of arms sales and military assistance to Saudi Arabia. It is unclear if he still withholds weapons that could be used for offensive operations in Yemen.
State Department Factsheet, June 6, 2023
* Working with Saudi Arabia to ensure regional stability remains a pillar of our bilateral relationship. The United States is the top defense supplier for Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi defense establishment remains the single largest U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer, with cases valued at more than $140 billion. This partnership is predicated on our shared interest in security in the Gulf and deterring any foreign or regional power from threatening the region.
* The United States is committed to advancing our security partnership with Saudi Arabia through defense sales that will support a more integrated and regionally networked air and missile defense architecture, participating in joint military exercises, and countering the proliferation of unmanned aerial systems and missiles to non-state actors that threaten the peace and security of the region.
Remarks, February 4, 2021
we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales.
Note: The Biden administration has supported numerous arms sales to Saudi Arabia, but could in theory still argue these are not for offensive operations in Yemen. The administration has also sought a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia that has been reported to include potential security guarantees to Saudi Arabia, which have not been fully defined. See resource page for more on these topics.
Arms to Taiwan
Biden is in favor of arms sales and military assistance to Taiwan.
Remarks, Secretary of State Blinken, June 20, 2023
We remain committed to meeting our responsibilities under the Taiwan Relations Act, including making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself.
Interview, 60 Minutes, September 2022
We agree with what we signed onto a long time ago. And that there's one China policy, and Taiwan makes their own judgments about their independence.
Note: The Biden administration has notified Congress of more than $4 billion in potential arms sales and security assistance to Taiwan via the Foreign Military Sales process alone. See resource page.
Military intervention at Mexican border
Biden is not considering using U.S. force in Mexico, according to an NSC statement in April. His administration has deployed U.S. military forces to support border security.
Our research has not indicated a statement directly by Joe Biden during his presidency on this topic.
Statement by National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson as reported, April 10, 2023.
Statement by National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson as reported, April 10, 2023.
The administration is not considering military action in Mexico
Homeland Security factsheet, September 20, 2023.
The Department of Defense is providing additional military personnel – on top of the 2,500 steady state National Guard personnel – to support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This surge support includes up to 800 new active-duty personnel to assist with logistics and other functions at the border to allow more Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and officers to return to their core mission and responsibilities.
Arms Trade Treaty
Our research has not indicated a position on this topic. When Biden was Vice President, the United States signed the Arms Trade Treaty. As President, his administration has indicated it is reviewing the treaty.
Our research has not indicated a statement directly by Joe Biden during his presidency.
See 2021 statement by U.S. representative to the ATT Conference of States Parties.
See 2021 statement by U.S. representative to the ATT Conference of States Parties.
The revised CAT Policy should be finalized shortly and released as a public document. When it is, the United States will then use that policy framework to review specific arms transfer issues, including determining the proper relationship of the United States to the Arms Trade Treaty.