Biden’s DEI Obsession Leaves President Trump with a Diplomatic Catastrophe to Repair
The Biden administration’s obsession with DEI has left a path of cultural and diplomatic disasters, setting the stage for a nightmare state of affairs that Donald Trump should confront when he returns to the White Home in lower than two weeks. One obvious instance is the appointment of Ambassador Marc Ostfield to Paraguay, a DEI-driven selection who prioritized identification over competence, leaving U.S.-Paraguay relations in disarray.
Paraguay, a small however strategically vital nation in South America, has lengthy maintained sturdy ties with the USA. This relationship stretches again to the nineteenth century, when President Rutherford B. Hayes arbitrated a boundary dispute between Paraguay and Argentina, ruling in Paraguay’s favor. In recognition of this historic resolution, Paraguay named a division after Hayes, cementing his legacy within the nation’s historical past. This foundational bond between the 2 international locations has made Paraguay a key associate for the U.S. in selling regional stability and financial cooperation.
Nevertheless, the Biden administration’s neglect of this important ally has weakened these ties. The appointment of Marc Ostfield as U.S. ambassador in March 2022 was heralded as a milestone for variety, as Ostfield is overtly LGBT. Whereas this match neatly into the administration’s DEI priorities, it did little to handle the sensible realities of U.S.-Paraguay relations. Ostfield’s tenure was marred by missteps, together with a failure to keep up sturdy diplomatic ties and mismanagement of rising tensions with Paraguayan leaders.
In August 2024, the Paraguayan authorities successfully ordered Ostfield to depart following U.S. sanctions on a tobacco firm linked to former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes. These sanctions, whereas aimed toward combating corruption, have been perceived as heavy-handed interference, additional straining relations. Including to the confusion, it stays unclear if Ostfield has really departed Paraguay. This uncertainty exemplifies the instability left by Biden’s international coverage and highlights the challenges awaiting Trump as he works to revive order.
Paraguay is much extra necessary than it might seem at first look. Strategically positioned within the coronary heart of South America, it serves as a crucial hub for regional commerce and vitality. The Itaipu Dam, one of many largest hydroelectric initiatives on the planet, provides vitality to Brazil and Argentina, making Paraguay a linchpin of the continent’s vitality infrastructure. Moreover, its agricultural output, significantly in soybeans and beef, performs an important function in international meals provide chains.
Below Biden, help applications have been minimize, and diplomatic engagement has waned, leaving Paraguay susceptible to exterior affect. Whereas the U.S. has historically been a trusted associate, the mishandling of relations underneath Biden has created a vacuum that adversarial nations are keen to take advantage of. Rebuilding this belief and stabilizing the connection will now fall to Trump, who inherits a fractured panorama each at house and overseas.
The failure of Biden’s DEI-driven appointment technique isn’t restricted to Paraguay. It displays a broader sample of prioritizing identification politics over competence, with real-world penalties. Paraguay stands as a case research of how these insurance policies can weaken alliances and undermine U.S. pursuits on the worldwide stage. Trump faces the monumental job of repairing this injury, guaranteeing that American diplomacy is as soon as once more centered on technique and substance slightly than ideological priorities.
Steve Grillon is a businessman dwelling in Miami with intensive diplomatic expertise and data of South America Despatched from my iPad
