Kamala Harris Steps Up: Key Player in National Security and 2024 Presidential Race

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is emerging as a critical figure in national security and the upcoming presidential election. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted her valuable input on complex decisions. President Biden withdrew his reelection bid, passing the torch to Harris, who has a marginal lead over Donald Trump, according to polls.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is poised to lead the Democratic ticket in the forthcoming November presidential election, has been a vital contributor on national security matters, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Austin emphasized her substantial and useful input in high-stakes decisions.

President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the reelection race on Sunday, citing concerns about his physical and mental readiness to handle a grueling campaign against the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump.

Harris has distinguished herself within the administration for her strong stance on Israel policy, frequently attending Biden's meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and underscoring the importance of Palestinian civilian deaths. She is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu later today.

Harris has represented the U.S. abroad extensively, particularly in Asia and Latin America. Yet, her efforts in Central America to address migration causes made little progress. She played a key role at the Munich security conference, warning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of an imminent invasion based on intelligence reports.

She also attended the funeral of assassinated Japanese leader Shinzo Abe and the ASEAN summit, even meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "She comprehends national security and international affairs," Austin added. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, Harris opened a slight two-percentage-point lead over Trump after Biden ended his campaign and endorsed her candidacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)