Biden’s Global Chaos: How U.S. Policies Have Worsened Poverty, Instability, and Regime Change Across the World

From economic devastation to covert interventions, Joe Biden’s foreign policy has deepened crises in the Global South, reinforcing Western dominance at the expense of poorer nations.

Since taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden has pursued a foreign policy agenda that has, whether by design or consequence, exacerbated global instability, disproportionately affecting poorer nations. While his administration has championed the rhetoric of democracy, economic recovery, and multilateralism, the reality on the ground tells a different story. From economic turmoil induced by U.S. monetary policies to direct geopolitical interventions, Biden’s presidency has left a lasting impact—one that has often widened disparities and deepened crises in the developing world.

Economic Policies and Their Global Ramifications

One of the most damaging aspects of Biden’s tenure has been the impact of U.S. economic policies on emerging economies. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes, indirectly supported by the administration’s fiscal spending, have led to capital flight from developing nations. As the U.S. dollar strengthens, emerging markets suffer from depreciating currencies, soaring inflation, and heightened debt servicing costs. Countries in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia that borrowed heavily during the low-interest era are now facing economic precarity as they struggle to repay dollar-denominated debts.

The Biden administration’s failure to provide meaningful debt relief or establish mechanisms to support struggling economies further underscores Washington’s negligence toward poorer nations. The IMF and World Bank, institutions largely influenced by U.S. policy, have continued their pattern of imposing structural adjustments that prioritize Western financial interests over sustainable development in the Global South.

Energy Policies: The Weaponization of Resources

The Biden administration’s approach to global energy policy has had a cascading effect on economies worldwide. The decision to aggressively push for a green energy transition while simultaneously alienating major oil-producing nations has led to volatility in global fuel prices. The U.S. sanctions on Russia following the Ukraine war—while intended to weaken Moscow—have disproportionately hurt developing nations dependent on affordable energy imports.

Countries in Africa and Asia that relied on Russian energy supplies have been forced to purchase at inflated prices from Western-controlled markets, exacerbating economic hardships. Additionally, Biden’s failure to mitigate the impact of the OPEC+ production cuts has driven global fuel prices higher, causing severe inflationary pressure in import-dependent economies. Rather than stabilizing energy markets, the administration’s policies have resulted in greater unpredictability and hardship for poorer nations.

Geopolitical Conflicts, Regime Change Operations, and Military Interventions

Biden’s handling of global conflicts has further destabilized already fragile regions. The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 left a power vacuum that has emboldened extremist elements, contributing to instability in Central and South Asia. The aftermath of the withdrawal saw not only the resurgence of the Taliban but also an exacerbation of economic distress, with Afghanistan’s economy collapsing under the weight of frozen assets and a lack of international support.

Similarly, Biden’s unwavering support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza has drawn condemnation from much of the Global South. The administration’s reluctance to push for meaningful ceasefires, coupled with continued military aid to Israel, has fueled humanitarian crises, with dire consequences for neighboring Middle Eastern and North African nations. Refugee crises have escalated, and the instability has further weakened economies that rely on regional trade and tourism.

Moreover, Biden’s administration has been linked to regime change operations across the world, following a pattern of destabilization seen in previous U.S. administrations. The removal of Pakistan’s elected Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022, widely perceived as a Washington-backed maneuver, signified continued American interference in sovereign nations’ political processes. Khan’s ousting led to economic turmoil and political instability in Pakistan, a pattern mirrored in other regions where U.S. involvement has been recorded, including West Africa and parts of Latin America.

Washington’s aggressive stance against China, under the guise of national security concerns, has led to increased economic decoupling, adversely impacting smaller nations caught in the crossfire. The U.S.-China trade war, which Biden has escalated with semiconductor restrictions and military posturing in the Indo-Pacific, has disrupted global supply chains, making essential goods more expensive for developing economies.

Sanctions and Economic Warfare

Sanctions have remained a key tool in Biden’s foreign policy arsenal, yet their impact on ordinary citizens in sanctioned nations is often overlooked. From Venezuela to Iran and even Russia, U.S. sanctions have not only failed to bring about regime change but have also severely impacted civilian populations, pushing millions into poverty. The poorest suffer the most as food prices skyrocket, essential medicine supplies dwindle, and economies crumble under U.S.-led economic blockades.

Even nations not directly sanctioned by the U.S. have felt the secondary effects of Washington’s economic warfare. African and Asian nations dependent on trade with sanctioned countries have seen their own economies suffer as financial networks become increasingly restricted. Biden’s administration has shown little willingness to engage in diplomatic solutions, instead choosing economic strangulation tactics that disproportionately harm the Global South.

The Illusion of Multilateralism

Biden came into office promising to restore multilateralism and diplomacy, but his administration has largely continued the tradition of unilateral U.S. dominance. While rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and reinvesting in NATO were symbolic moves, Washington has largely sidelined developing nations in key global decisions. The Global South’s concerns over vaccine nationalism during the pandemic, their exclusion from major climate negotiations, and the continued strong-arming of smaller economies into U.S.-led alliances have made it clear that Biden’s multilateralism is, at best, selective.

Furthermore, the administration’s handling of global institutions reflects a continuation of America-first policies under a different branding. The United Nations has been increasingly sidelined, with U.S. interests dictating which conflicts receive attention and which are ignored. Efforts to reform global financial systems to provide more equity for developing nations have been met with U.S. resistance, ensuring the continuation of a system where Western financial power remains unchallenged.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Global Disruption

While Biden’s presidency is often framed as a return to global stability after the Trump era, a closer examination reveals that his policies have exacerbated economic hardship and geopolitical instability for much of the developing world. Whether through monetary policy, energy decisions, military interventions, or economic warfare, the Biden administration has reinforced a system that prioritizes Western economic interests at the expense of poorer nations.

For many in the Global South, the past few years have been marked not by progress but by a continuation of systemic inequalities that keep them at the mercy of Washington’s decisions. If Biden’s legacy is to be judged on its impact beyond American borders, it is one of increased hardship for the world’s most vulnerable, a reality that demands critical scrutiny and accountability.