Biden heads to U.N. General Assembly amid tensions with France

President Biden heads to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, amid international criticism of the U.S. over its handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and as France bristles over a scrapped submarine deal. 

The president will be speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron in the next few days, following the French fury over the announcement of the U.S.-Australia nuclear-powered submarine deal last week. Australia canceled a nearly $100 billion contract to buy French conventional submarines in favor of nuclear-powered subs built with U.S. technology. Soon afterward, France recalled its ambassador to the U.S. A senior administration official said Mr. Biden has requested to speak with Macron. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that the president's speech Tuesday will highlight the importance of reestablishing alliances "after the last several years." But she added, "Reestablishing alliances doesn't mean that you won't have disagreements or you won't have disagreements about how to approach any particular issue in the world. That is not the bar for having an alliance, an important partnership. That has never been and is not currently with the goal of increasing the prospect of security and diminishing the prospect of war."