Biden praises strengthened alliances, urges successor to sustain AI and clean‑energy leadership

President Joe Biden delivered remarks at the U.S. Department of State, saying his administration has strengthened American alliances, constrained adversaries and laid groundwork the next administration should carry forward on artificial intelligence and the clean‑energy transition.

In a speech introduced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden highlighted U.S. diplomatic, military and economic investments over the past four years and pointed to continuing challenges in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Indo‑Pacific as reasons for maintaining American leadership.

Blinken, identified as Antony Blinken, U.S. secretary of state, framed the remarks by urging continued engagement. "American engagement, American leadership is essential," Blinken said, adding that alliances and partnerships are critical "some day, some way, somewhere" in advancing the national interest.

Biden, introduced as President Joe Biden, summarized his administration's record and set priorities for the future. He said the United States has expanded diplomatic ties, strengthened NATO and other partnerships, and increased investments in technology and the defense industrial base. "We've increased our diplomatic power, creating more allies than the United States has ever had in the history of our nation," Biden said.

He listed specific policy results included in his address: larger investments in U.S. infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, nearly $500 billion in private‑sector investment tied to climate and clean‑energy measures, and roughly $1.3 trillion in defense procurement and research and development funding. Biden said more NATO members are meeting a 2 percent of GDP defense‑spending benchmark now than when he took office, and he pointed to new or expanded partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific, including AUKUS and expanded cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Biden addressed ongoing security crises and recent foreign‑policy priorities. He said the administration rallied more than 50 nations in support of Ukraine and described continuing assistance that helped Ukraine resist Russia's invasion. He also said the United States organized partnerships to defend civilian shipping in the Red Sea and to counter attacks on Israel after Oct. 7. On Iran, Biden said sanctions and other measures had put the country under greater economic pressure.

On Afghanistan, Biden defended the 2021 troop withdrawal, saying ending the war allowed the United States to concentrate resources elsewhere and noting the administration's efforts to bring home Americans held or wrongfully detained overseas. "We brought home more than 75 Americans by last count," he said, and he mourned the 2,461 U.S. service members who died in the conflict.

Biden urged the incoming administration to continue two central priorities: maintaining U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and sustaining the clean‑energy transition. "AI has the power to reshape economies, governments, national security, entire societies. And it must be the United States and our closest allies that lead the way," he said. He called climate change "the single greatest existential threat to humanity" and said U.S. action had helped mobilize substantial public and private investment globally.

He closed by stressing the role of diplomacy and alliances and by thanking State Department staff and interagency partners. "There is nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together and commit to it," Biden said. He also appealed to colleagues to remain in service: "I hope many of you are gonna be staying in the next administration to keep this moving."