On the campaign trail, Joe Biden placed renewal of the world’s democracies high on his agenda, pledging in the first year of his presidency to convene a global summit of democracies. Originally the summit was meant to be an opportunity for the United States to showcase its return to the helm of global democracy. But after the final weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, the summit has also become about something else: the United States’ own democratic restoration.
After this year’s tumultuous transition of power, some might question whether the United States even has the moral authority to sit at the head of the democratic table. In my view, the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 and Trump’s efforts to delegitimize the election make the need for such a summit, hosted by the United States, all the greater.
