Biden news – live: Conspiracy theorists pounce on president’s ‘new world order’ comments
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Joe Biden has inadvertently drawn the attention of conspiracy theorists with remarks he made at the end of a speech about the implications of Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Speaking at a meeting of the Business Roundtable lobbying organisation, Mr Biden declared: “Now is a time when things are shifting. We’re going to — there’s going to be a new world order out there, and we’ve got to lead it. And we’ve got to unite the rest of the free world in doing it.”
The “new world order” conspiracy theory dates back decades, and holds that a nefarious elite led by the United Nations and other shadowy forces is planning to install a single transnational global government via the use of force – possibly with the involvement of US agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which some believe is preparing to put Americans in concentration camps.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden is planning a trip to Poland to shore up his administration’s commitment to it and other Nato allies in eastern Europe. The visit comes after the US rejected a proposal under which Poland would have supplied Ukraine with MiG-29 jets via a US airbase in Germany.
Key points
Joe Biden warns Russia may use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine
Remarks on “new world order” inadvertently evoke vintage conspiracy theory
President set to visit Poland to shore up alliance with Nato ally
Read: Biden on the world after Putin’s Ukraine invasion
10:11 , Andrew Naughtie
Joe Biden was not, in fact, promoting the idea of a single transnational world government when he addressed business leaders in Washington yesterday. Instead, he was making the point that the confluence of major crises – war, Covid-19 and the climate emergency – was an opportunity to greatly improve life for people all over the globe.
As per a White House transcript, here’s the segment of his speech that’s drawn attention:
You know, my mother had an expression: “Out of everything terrible, something good will come if you look hard enough for it.”
I think this presents us with some significant opportunities to make some real changes. You know, we are at an inflection point, I believe, in the world economy — not just the world economy, in the world. It occurs every three or four generations.
As one of — as one of the top military people said to me in a secure meeting the other day, 60 — 60 million people died between 1900 and 1946. And since then, we’ve established a liberal world order, and that hadn’t happened in a long while. A lot of people dying, but nowhere near the chaos.
And now is a time when things are shifting. We’re going to — there’s going to be a new world order out there, and we’ve got to lead it. And we’ve got to unite the rest of the free world in doing it.
Good morning
09:48 , Andrew Naughtie
Welcome to The Independent’s daily coverage of Joe Biden and his administration. Stay tuned for updates.
