However, their diplomatic efforts at a scaled-down UN General Assembly were overshadowed and complicated by the influence of former President Donald J. Trump. Biden worked to mend strained relations with France by speaking with President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, while Blinken held discussions with his French counterpart in New York on Thursday. French officials criticized the Biden administration for not alerting them about a strategic agreement with Britain and Australia that they felt excluded them from a submarine contract. During a passionate speech to the global body, President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran implied that there was little distinction between Biden and Trump, mentioning their foreign policy slogans. Beijing's Global Times newspaper questioned the feasibility of Biden's ambitious targets to reduce global carbon emissions, suggesting that they could be reversed by a future Republican administration, a concern also raised by the Iranians regarding a potential return to the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump had abandoned. During a news conference at the end of a week of diplomacy, Blinken gave a positive evaluation. He mentioned that US officials had engaged with representatives from over 60 countries and highlighted American leadership on climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked about recent criticisms of US foreign policy, such as the Afghanistan withdrawal and stalled nuclear talks with Iran, Blinken stated that he had not personally heard these complaints in New York that week. He expressed that the feedback he had received in response to the president's speech and the direction he is leading the country in was overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the United States. Blinken made these remarks before leaving a weeklong in-person diplomatic gathering that had returned cautiously after being held virtually last year due to the pandemic. A number of foreign leaders did not attend this year's gathering, including the presidents of Russia, China, and Iran. Their absence meant that there was less anticipation around whether the president of the United States would have an unexpected meeting with a foreign adversary. Biden only made a brief appearance, leaving shortly after his speech on Tuesday. In his address, he discussed how America's withdrawal from Afghanistan marked the end of 20 years of war following the September 11, 2001, attacks. He also talked about how the United States was now entering a new phase of collaborative diplomacy to address global issues such as climate change, the coronavirus, and the rise of authoritarianism. The speech was a significant tribute to global cooperation and stood out in comparison to Trump's rude and undiplomatic behavior. However, there are increasing concerns that some of Biden's key policy decisions resemble those of Trump. French officials expressed surprise and frustration over the US submarine deal with Australia, a move for which Biden's team had no satisfactory explanation. The French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, criticized the decision as reminiscent of Trump's actions, leaving him feeling angry and resentful. The tension between allies was alleviated somewhat after Biden spoke with Macron and Blinken met with Le Drian on Thursday. However, the French diplomat's remarks indicated that the issue had not been completely resolved. Resolving the current crisis will be a lengthy process that will necessitate action, he stated. The incident with Paris could have been seen as a one-off event, but it reminded some NATO allies of previous instances where Biden had made decisions without consulting them, such as the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump was known for surprising allies with sudden or independent actions. Blinken argued that he met with NATO officials in the spring to get their thoughts on Afghanistan, but officials in Germany, Britain, and other countries claim that their advice for a slower withdrawal was ignored. Biden supporters believe the comparisons are exaggerated, but some acknowledge that there are legitimate global concerns about the possibility of Trump, or someone similar, taking over from Biden and undoing his policies. Loren DeJonge Schulman, who served in the National Security Council and the Pentagon during the Obama administration, stated that it is ridiculous to suggest that there is any similarity between Trump and Biden in terms of their approach to allies, international negotiations, or national security. However, Schulman acknowledged that other countries have valid concerns about how the Biden administration can make lasting international commitments in the aftermath of the Trump presidency and garner more public support for foreign alliances. DeJonge Schulman, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, stated that trust cannot be the sole basis for decisions. Both allies and adversaries have noticed similarities between Biden and Trump, with some using it to criticize Biden's policies. The Global Times, known for aligning with the Chinese Communist Party, has claimed that Biden's China policies closely resemble Trump's, including the use of trade tariffs. Iranian officials are also unhappy with Biden's failure to lift the economic sanctions imposed by Trump after withdrawing from the nuclear deal. In the early days of Biden's presidency, European allies suggested lifting some restrictions to restart nuclear talks, but Biden officials refused. Iran's supreme leader criticized the Biden administration, saying their demands on the nuclear issue are similar to Trump's. With a new hard-line government in Tehran and stalled negotiations, Biden officials are warning Iran that time is running out to return to the nuclear agreement. Trump faced criticism from foreign policy experts, but now there are growing critiques of the Biden team's management, especially after a US drone strike in Kabul killed civilians, including children and an aid worker. Some Biden officials acknowledge that diplomacy has been challenging due to the retirement of many experienced Foreign Service officers during the Trump administration. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has hindered the confirmation of numerous Biden nominees for senior State Department positions and ambassadorships. Biden is facing comparisons to Trump in various areas, such as immigration, prompting questions about how he differs from his predecessor.