Amid global turmoil Blinken aims to ease anxiety over US election on 6-nation Asia tour

SINGAPORE (AP) — With large parts of the world in turmoil and deep uncertainty over the future direction of America’s global role, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought this week to project an aura of calm normalcy as he traveled through Asia on his first overseas mission since President Joe Biden jolted the 2024 presidential race with his withdrawal.

Whether he succeeded or not remains an open question.

On a trip to Laos, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Mongolia that was punctuated by several potential escalatory developments in the Middle East, an uptick in Russian attacks in Ukraine and overshadowed by persistent fears about China’s increasingly aggressive actions, he could not escape questions and comments about domestic U.S. politics.

Having embarked on the six-nation tour just days after Biden’s decision, Blinken no doubt would have preferred to avoid the issue entirely but came prepared with several stock answers to questions about U.S. leadership from concerned partners and allies. Chief among them: “I don’t do politics” and variations on “American engagement abroad endures across administrations.”

In the Philippines, Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remained politely silent when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed them with a nod toward the campaign that now pits former President Donald Trump against presumptive Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We are very happy to see (you) once again,” Marcos said on Tuesday in Manila. “I am a bit surprised considering how interesting your political situation has become back in the States, but I’m glad that you’ve found the time to come and visit with us.”

In Singapore, Blinken was asked by a senior diplomat about the “noise