U.S. President Joe Biden this week became a “lame duck,” entering the period between White House administrations traditionally seen as one of waning influence, increasing irrelevance, and menial administrative preparation for the successor.
But it can also be a period of opportunity — relatively unburdened by responsibility and accountability, many lame-duck presidents take advantage of the time to take actions they may not have gotten away with before an election, controversial pardons being one of the most popular.
And as Jessica Berlin, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), said in a post on social media after the election result was called, Biden does have an opportunity to be “the least-lame duck in history.”
“Whatever can go to Ukraine needs to go now,” she added.
He is already lifting the restrictions on US contractors being there.