Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s Rhetoric on the Arctic

This paper examines the evolution of US Arctic policy by comparing the approaches of the Trump and Biden administrations. An analysis of The New York Times shows that Trump shifted the focus from the traditional balance of interests to economic development, especially oil and gas production in Alaska, including drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. His administration justified this by economic benefits and the need to compete with Russia, planning infrastructure development, including the construction of icebreakers. The media image of Trump’s policy reflected a pragmatic and unilateral approach, putting economic interests above environmental issues and international cooperation. Despite participating in the Arctic Council, Trump preferred bilateral negotiations, while proposals such as the purchase of Greenland undermined international trust. Militarization of the region to contain Russia and China was presented as a necessary measure. Biden, despite his declared commitment to international cooperation and the environmental agenda, continued Trump’s confrontational course towards Russia and China, expressing concern about their activities in the region and using hostile rhetoric. Although the 2021 summit with Putin demonstrated a willingness to engage in dialogue on security and climate issues, mistrust persisted and was exacerbated by subsequent geopolitical events.