President-elect Joe Biden tried to draw broad features of the foreign policy that his administration will pursue in the future, in two phrases, "America is back," and "we will work in several files to coordinate with our allies."
This policy was strengthened by the Democrats' control of Congress, with its two chambers of representatives and senators, making them in a nearly open way to move away from the legacy of outgoing President Donald Trump and his administration, and to address what affected him in the policies and image of the United States.
Although the US foreign policy is formulated by the presidency, the constitution has given Congress influence, especially in budget clauses, ratification of the president’s nominations, international treaties, and the review of arms sales.
Congress also plays a role in trade, international aid, human rights legislation, and sanctions.
The control of the president's party over Congress does not mean that the legislative institution is completely driven by the foreign policy priorities of the White House, nor does it automatically transform in the event of disagreement into a brake on these priorities.
The US President has executive powers that enable him to bypass Congress at times, as President Donald Trump did in the immigration and asylum files, the financial and political measures he took against the Palestinians and the arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The president also has a veto power, and Trump used it in 2019 against a resolution adopted by Congress to halt US support for the coalition in the Yemen war.
Therefore, the Democrats, who have taken control of Congress, are expected to renew the effort to stop the Yemen war.
Also, the Democrats - through their control of the committees concerned with financial allocations and foreign and defense policies - may enhance human rights standards and political freedoms, which are criteria that the Trump administration has dealt with selectively according to its classification of opponents and allies.
The influence of the left stream
The current Congress is characterized by unprecedented influence of the left in the Democratic Party, and its symbols have expressed their desire to adopt a more progressive foreign policy.
With the control of Congress, this trend is expected to exert pressure on the Biden administration to take more resolute stances regarding the violations of governments that are allies or partners of Washington, especially since the president-elect has repeatedly stated his intention to pursue a foreign policy based on ideals, not just interests.
Likewise, the left’s demand to reduce the defense budget may open the door to reconsidering the US’s security partnerships around the world, and the most important thing is to spark a debate regarding Washington’s role in the international arena.