Biden notched gains at summit; returns to turmoil at home

By ZEKE MILLER and DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — The dissonant realities of President Joe Biden’s second year in office were on display Thursday as he wound up a five-day trip to Europe that highlighted both the key U.S. role in mounting a strong allied response to Vladimir Putin’s aggression and the domestic turmoil that is dragging Biden down at home. Biden appeared to welcome the time away from Washington as a respite from his domestic predicament, insisting that despite turmoil at home from inflation to gun violence, world leaders still valued America’s — and his — leadership. Biden’s success abroad drew rare praise from GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, who said, “Here we have a bipartisan delegation and a president who have a common goal. Back home, maybe not quite as much.'”