U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could be an attempt to sway the votes of over 40 million Americans with Irish ancestry at the next election.
That's the view of former U.S. Special Envoy Mitchel Reiss. Biden delivered a speech at the University of Ulster on Wednesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, when he urged the country's devolved government to break their 12-month political stalemate.
His speech also saw him endorse the Windsor Framework - a new deal agreed by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that eases trade rules between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic without the need for a hard border - which could risk peace in the region.
However, Reiss, who served as Special Envoy for Northern Ireland under the George W. Bush administration, believes there are numerous motives behind Biden's visit including the 2024 election.
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Former U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland says Joe Biden's visit to the country could be a ploy to sway the votes of 40 million Americans with Irish ancestry at the next election./Reuters.
"There are strong bonds between the United States and Ireland," Reiss told CGTN. "There's an estimated 40 million Irish-Americans, people who claim Irish ancestry. So, there's a strong bond between the two countries.
"I think the president also wants to associate themselves with a significant diplomatic accomplishment, the Good Friday Agreement from 25 years ago. It's the anniversary and it's immeasurably improved the life in Northern Ireland.
"And I think third is that we're in the presidential campaign cycle already. And so I think the president wants to showcase his strong bonds to Ireland. And so it has a domestic political component as well."
However, Reiss is supportive of Biden's visit and says the U.S. should be proud of its role in the Good Friday Agreement and ongoing work to nourish its relationship with the UK and its allies.
"I think one of the legacies is that it shows the United States supporting its friends and allies around the world," he added. "The United States played a crucial role in helping the parties reach an agreement that ended the troubles and stood up the Stormont Assembly.
"So I think that's one of the legacies. The other legacy I think, is the ongoing American commitment to the UK and to the people of Ireland to support peace however we can.
He added: "I think it's clear for anybody who remembers the horrors of the troubles that Belfast is now a modern European city in many ways. So I think that the reduction, a significant reduction in the level of violence, I think is probably one of the greatest legacies."
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