Vice President Kamala Harris is set to conclude her term with a global trip, making stops in Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany, according to her office. The trip, scheduled from January 13 to January 17, will provide Harris with a final opportunity to address key U.S. foreign policy challenges before Donald Trump assumes the presidency. She will be accompanied by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
While Harris has not revealed her plans following her loss in the presidential election, the extensive travel itinerary hints at her interest in maintaining a presence on the international stage. There is also speculation that she may consider running for governor of her home state, California.
Dean Lieberman, Harris’ deputy national security adviser, wrote in a statement that “the vice president felt it important to spend some of her final days in office thanking and engaging directly with U.S. servicemembers deployed overseas, which as she has said, has been one of her greatest privileges as vice president.”
All three of Vice President Harris’ stops host U.S. military bases. In Singapore, she plans to visit Changi Naval Base and meet with city-state leaders. Singapore’s strategic location in the Indo-Pacific makes it a vital partner in addressing issues related to China, including maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Harris’ next destination is Bahrain, where she will visit the U.S. 5th Fleet headquarters, which operates in the Persian Gulf. The fleet plays a critical role in protecting Israel from Iranian threats and safeguarding regional shipping from Houthi attacks in Yemen.
Her final stop will be Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, home to a deployment of U.S. Air Force fighter jets. There, Harris will highlight NATO’s importance in deterring Russian aggression, nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
This trip marks Harris’ second visits to Singapore and Germany, while Bahrain will be the 22nd country she has visited during her tenure.
“The vice president continues to believe in a strong U.S. global leadership role because it benefits the security and prosperity of the American people, and she will reaffirm this throughout her trip,” Lieberman said.
