Staff Reports
Jill Biden’s final solo foreign trip as First Lady kicks off with a grand tour of Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar before landing in Paris to rub shoulders with President-elect Donald Trump and other world leaders at the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening. This marks another chapter in her globe-trotting adventures, although many are left wondering what impact it truly has back home.
The Biden family appears to have a flair for trips that remind them of their heritage. Mrs. Biden is headed to the Sicilian village of Gesso, her ancestral stomping grounds, making her the first Italian-American First Lady. It seems fitting that she would indulge in a homecoming, but it also raises eyebrows about the priorities of the current administration during these turbulent times.
After soaking up the Italian countryside, Mrs. Biden will make a pit stop in the UAE and Qatar. Among her agenda items is a meeting with high-ranking women dignitaries. Gone are the days when America had an ironclad grip on foreign relations; now, it’s about attending banquets and discussing cancer initiatives rather than tackling pressing international issues head-on. While the intent to promote the Biden Cancer Moonshot might be laudable, discussing healthcare over a plate of luxurious lamb in a foreign land feels a bit detached from reality for average American taxpayers footing the bill.
In Qatar, she will visit educational and medical institutions, flaunting the Biden agenda while attending a royal wedding banquet—a spectacle of luxury and tradition. While she’s busy dining with royals, many are left pondering the less-than-royal struggles going on back home. The stark contrast between the opulence of her tour and the struggles that everyday Americans face is a glaring reminder of the world of politics that seems completely out of touch.
Jill Biden to undertake massive final foreign trip, to end with Trump in Francehttps://t.co/p36BooaPlJ pic.twitter.com/DTOMJrCIXz
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 4, 2024
As this political pageant unfolds, the Doha Forum welcomes her as a keynote speaker, where she will address “global challenges.” One can only hope she brings some American realism to the table. After all, addressing global issues while navigating through the bureaucratic hurdles and lavish banquets might just provide a topic for discussion that resonates a little closer to home when she finally returns to Washington.
It’s a nine-day escapade filled with symbolism—both personal and political—that ends in Paris, as she attends a ceremony celebrating the restoration of a beloved cathedral after a devastating fire. Meanwhile, the rest of the country carries on, left to wonder whether these high-profile trips translate into anything meaningful for the average American. More importantly, will she remind foreign leaders that we still expect them to play ball with a country that’s not only watching but also hoping for a return to common sense values? Only time will tell.
