Biden Rebuilds Brand USA
As you observe the Biden-Harris administration’s first 10 – or even 100 – days alongside its future EU and UK relations, you can conclude Brand USA is being rebuilt as it re-engages with the world.
With its nominal Chief Marketing Officer and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, alongside soon-to-be-appointed US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on the back of my latest book Working with Americans, business leaders across the EU, UK and beyond should feel a great sense of optimism:
- Already in the President’s first 24 hours, eliminating the travel ban on Muslim countries, rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and WHO, pausing student loan repayments and suspending evictions for homeowners and renters, he is clearly delivering on his “America is back” promise to re-engage the world
- As for delivering the $1.9tn aid package to stabilize the domestic economy, clearly helping Americans salvage their challenged businesses, find employment and keep families fed is essential if Americans are to be able to contribute to the rebuilding of its economy
- Expect an EU-US Free Trade Agreement to get attention before the UK’s is tackled, given the size of the EU commercial prize for US companies post-Brexit, a trading bloc with nearly 450 million consumers compared to the UK’s 66 million
- For British Trade Minister Liz Truss, this means a fresh start building trust with her new American counterpart, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai once confirmed, testing Truss’ skills in negotiating, influencing and communicating with Americans which has derailed many politicians and business leaders alike
One thing for certain is the world is already viewing the US as more welcoming – and hopefully more attractive – to international companies, even if the domestic agenda consumes the Biden-Harris team for some months to come.
