Joe Biden is challenging the conventional notion of a “lame-duck” president, wielding his remaining days in office to reshape U.S. foreign policy in a way few saw coming. In a dramatic and contentious move, the outgoing president has authorized Ukraine to use American-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russian territory. This seismic shift in U.S. policy raises the stakes in the war, just weeks before Biden hands over the White House to Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.
The decision, confirmed by a U.S. official, marks a pivotal moment in the conflict and comes after months of lobbying by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Unnamed U.S. officials, speaking to The New York Times and The Washington Post, revealed that Biden’s decision to approve Ukraine’s use of ATACMS missiles was prompted by Russia’s move to permit North Korean soldiers to join the fight in Ukraine. Kyiv has long sought the green light for ATACMS missiles—advanced weapons capable of hitting critical infrastructure and military sites deep inside Russia.
“Today, much is being said in the media about us receiving permission for the relevant actions. But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” Zelenskyy remarked.
Critics of the move, including Richard Grenell, were quick to sound the alarm. “No one anticipated that Joe Biden would escalate the war in Ukraine during the transition period. This is as if he is launching a whole new war. Everything has changed now—all previous calculations are null and void. And all for politics,” Grenell charged, framing the decision as a political gambit with global consequences.
Donald Trump Jr., expressed strong criticism on social media regarding recent U.S. military policy decisions. On Sunday, he posted on X:
“The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives. Gotta lock in those $Trillions. Life be damned!!! Imbeciles!”
The move has drawn predictable ire from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that such actions by NATO countries amount to “direct participation” in the war, heightening fears of an escalation in the conflict.
As Biden prepares to leave the White House, his decision to authorize long-range missile strikes cements his role as a president unwilling to fade quietly into the background. Whether history views this as a calculated act of courage or a perilous gamble, one thing is clear: Joe Biden is rewriting the rulebook for what it means to be a “lame-duck” president.
By escalating the war in Ukraine with long-range U.S. missiles @JoeBiden is re-defining what it means to be a “lame-duck” president.
— Ksenija Pavlovic McAteer (@ksenijapavlovic) November 17, 2024
And now he has 60 days to prove it
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