Editorial: Why should New Zealanders care about the US election?

US President Joe Biden (right) and Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump participate in the CNN Presidential Debate on June 27. Photo / Getty Images

EDITORIAL

The American election might seem like a comical sideshow at times and altogether irrelevant to New Zealanders some 10,000km away but should we really care?

The recent TV debate between an incumbent President Joe Biden who appeared worryingly disjointed and a typically bombastic Republican presidential candidate, former US President Donald Trump, did little to assuage concerns by US voters and Kiwis trying to get a handle on the situation.

Each US election feels like it is billed as “the most important in history” and this one feels no different.

Coverage both Stateside and internationally is often boiled down to a battle of personalities rather than policies.

But the election’s outcome could have significant ripple effects across the Pacific Ocean, washing up on our shores.

America is a global superpower, with a hefty influence, particularly in our neck of the woods.

The US and China have been locked in a soft power struggle in the Indo-Pacific for years, going about their work in different ways: China through its ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure development strategy, and America through humanitarian aid and vocally backing democratic processes.

Whoever is triumphant between the Republicans and Democrats could have a large influence on how America treats its relationship with China – which would have knock-on effects for us Downunder.

And as former Labour Party minister and Act Party leader Richard Prebble pointed out, what would Trump’s proposed 10% tariff on all imports mean for our trade?

Stances on climate change, the global economy, and foreign policy are all key things that whoever becomes President could have a major impact on for all New Zealanders, almost overnight.

American politics are deeply polarising, no matter where they are viewed from.

The relationship between the White House and Beehive was never strong during the simultaneous tenures of Trump and Dame Jacinda Ardern, who featured on opposing sides of the political spectrum.

However, the two countries appear to have enjoyed a closer relationship under the Biden administration.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be in Washington DC this week for the Nato summit, as well as a host of bilateral meetings, including time with President Biden during a reception at the White House.

Nato countries, particularly the US, had deemed Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine and China’s growing presence in regions, including the Pacific, as indicative of their shift away from an international rules-based regime.

It is exactly these types of issues that should have New Zealanders watching the US election process with interest.

The outcome could end up defining the world – and our place in it - for the next four years.