Vice President Kamala Harris had another liaison with a foreign leader on Tuesday, independent of President Biden.
Harris spoke to Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, where Harris “affirmed his commitment to deepening the strong alliance between Norway and the United States”.
“The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Norway’s close security partnership with the United States and for his generous contributions to health development and security efforts around the world,” according to a reading of the summons.
Harris previously answered phone calls alone with French President Emanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shortly after the president made a call to French and Canadian leaders.
Less than two months after the new government began, Harris’ frequent solo calls to world leaders indicate that she will be deeply involved even in foreign policy, although her experience has been almost entirely domestic. Leaders from around the world can view the vice president as Biden’s apparent heir and look forward to building a relationship.
“She will be seen by everyone as a potential waiting president,” a European ambassador told Politico in February. “Much more than in previous presidencies.”
She also attended the first bilateral meeting of the new government, between the United States and Canada, an opportunity not offered to Biden during his Harris term.
CLYBURN: CONCERNS ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL STATE ‘VERY ADO ABOUT NOTHING’
Under President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence occasionally spoke to foreign leaders directly over the phone, but the President himself preferred to call them. During his last year in office, Pence received no calls from foreign leaders, but in 2019 he spoke to Trudeau, along with the presidents of Ukraine and Colombia. In 2018, he spoke to the Prime Minister of Iraq and the President of Colombia for the first time, and in 2017 he spoke to the Presidents of Argentina and Australia.
HARRIS TALKS TO NETANYAHU
But during the Obama administration, Biden served as the president’s frequent ambassador abroad, drawing on his decades of experience as a member and later chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He traveled to more than 50 countries during the Obama administration. Before him, Dick Cheney was credited with shaping President George W. Bush’s foreign policy priorities.
On Friday, Biden will virtually meet members of the “Quad”, leaders from Australia, Japan and India. It will be your first multilateral conversation as president.
Biden spoke to Netanyahu last month after delays in calling the Israeli leader raised questions.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
The President made a flurry of calls to American friends around the world, including leaders in Canada, Britain, France, Japan, Mexico, Germany, South Korea and even some enemies: He spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Russian Vladimir Putin.