Was Joe Biden a good president?

Both sidesSays it is contested

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of significant debate, with assessments highly dependent on one's political perspective and the issues prioritized. His presidency (January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025) began during a period of intense polarization, a global pandemic, and economic turmoil.

To evaluate his legacy, historians and political analysts typically weigh his major legislative and economic achievements against significant challenges in inflation, immigration, and foreign policy.

The Case for a Successful Presidency (Achievements)

Supporters and progressive historians often rank Biden’s presidency highly, comparing his legislative output to that of Lyndon B. Johnson or Franklin D. Roosevelt. They point to several key achievements:

•Major Legislative Victories: Despite working with a razor-thin congressional majority, Biden signed several landmark, bipartisan bills into law. These included:

•The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: A historic investment in American roads, bridges, public transit, and broadband access.

•The CHIPS and Science Act: Designed to bring high-tech semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S.

•The Inflation Reduction Act: The largest federal investment in fighting climate change and boosting green energy in U.S. history.

•The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: The first major federal gun control legislation in nearly 30 years.

•Economic Recovery and Job Growth: Under Biden, the U.S. experienced one of the strongest post-pandemic economic recoveries among G7 nations. His term saw the creation of over 16 million jobs, and unemployment rates fell to historic, 70-year lows.

•Strengthening Foreign Alliances: Following the "America First" foreign policy of his predecessor, Biden worked to repair and strengthen ties with traditional allies, particularly NATO. He successfully rallied international coalition support to aid Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion.

•Support for Organized Labor and Domestic Policy: Biden was vocal about being the "most pro-union president in history," famously becoming the first sitting president to walk a picket line during the 2023 UAW strike. He also expanded healthcare access under the Affordable Care Act and successfully appointed a historic number of federal judges.

The Case Against a Successful Presidency (Criticisms)

Critics, conservatives, and voters frustrated by the state of the country point to major crises and policy failures during his four years in office:

•High Inflation and Cost of Living: Biden’s term was marked by the highest inflation the U.S. had seen in 40 years. Critics argue that the massive influx of government spending—starting with his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021—overstimulated the economy and fueled this inflation, driving up the cost of groceries, rent, and everyday goods.

•The Southern Border and Immigration: The Biden administration faced severe criticism from both Republicans and moderate Democrats for its handling of the U.S.–Mexico border. A historic surge of unauthorized border crossings strained local resources across the country, and critics argued the administration was too slow to react or implement stricter border controls.

•Foreign Policy Setbacks:

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal: The chaotic and deadly U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and the rapid return of the Taliban, severely damaged Biden's approval ratings, from which they never fully recovered.

•Global Instability: Critics argue that Biden’s foreign policy signaled weakness, failing to deter Russia's invasion of Ukraine and struggling to manage the geopolitical fallout of the Israel-Hamas war, which deeply fractured his own political base.

•Decisions Surrounding Age and the 2024 Election: Biden entered office as the oldest president in U.S. history. Critics and some allies contend that his insistence on running for re-election, despite clear signs of age-related decline, ultimately harmed his party. By the time he withdrew from the race in July 2024 following a poor debate performance, he left Vice President Kamala Harris with a shortened campaign runway, which critics argue facilitated Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.

Conclusion

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president depends on which aspects of his four years in office are prioritized.

To his supporters, he was a steady, highly effective leader who navigated the nation out of a once-in-a-century pandemic, oversaw a massive economic and job recovery, and passed monumental legislation that will rebuild American infrastructure and combat climate change for decades to come.

To his detractors, his presidency was defined by economic pain via inflation, a failure to secure the southern border, high-profile foreign policy failures, and a level of political hubris regarding his age that ultimately paved the way for his predecessor's return to power.

Citations (10)

1infobase.comCompanies
infobase.com
Backs: “Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of significant debate, with assessments highly dependent on one's political perspective and the issues prioritized.”
attribution, other, neutral. Claim: Whether Biden was a good president is debated, with assessments depending on political perspective and priorities.
2wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “His presidency (January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025) began during a period of intense polarization, a global pandemic, and economic turmoil.”
background, reference entry, neutral. Claim: Biden's presidency ran January 2021 to January 2025, beginning amid polarization, a pandemic, and economic turmoil.
3aspistrategist.org.auNonprofits and think tanks
aspistrategist.org.au
Backs: “To evaluate his legacy, historians and political analysts typically weigh his major legislative and economic achievements against significant challenges in inflation, immigration, and foreign policy.”
attribution, article, neutral. Claim: Historians and analysts weigh legislative and economic achievements against challenges in inflation, immigration, and foreign policy.
4washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
washingtonpost.com
Backs: “Roosevelt. They point to several key achievements:”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Supporters and progressive historians rank Biden's presidency highly, comparing his legislative output to LBJ or FDR.
5unimelb.edu.auAcademic
unimelb.edu.au
Backs: “The Inflation Reduction Act: The largest federal investment in fighting climate change and boosting green energy in U.S. history. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: The first major federal gun control legislation in nearly 30 years.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: The Inflation Reduction Act was the largest federal investment in fighting climate change and boosting green energy in U.S. history.
6cbsnews.comNews and mediaquality 0.88
cbsnews.com
Backs: “Strengthening Foreign Alliances: Following the "America First" foreign policy of his predecessor, Biden worked to repair and strengthen ties with traditional allies, particularly NATO. He successfully rallied international coalition support to aid Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Biden worked to repair and strengthen ties with traditional allies, particularly NATO.
7port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “He successfully rallied international coalition support to aid Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion. Support for Organized Labor and Domestic Policy: Biden was vocal about being the "most pro-union president in history," famously becoming the first sitting president to walk a picket line during the 2023 UAW strike.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Biden rallied international coalition support to aid Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion.
8ucsb.eduAcademic
ucsb.edu
Backs: “Support for Organized Labor and Domestic Policy: Biden was vocal about being the "most pro-union president in history," famously becoming the first sitting president to walk a picket line during the 2023 UAW strike. He also expanded healthcare access under the Affordable Care Act and successfully appointed a historic…”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Biden called himself the most pro-union president and was first sitting president to walk a picket line in the 2023 UAW strike.
9millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Critics argue that the massive influx of government spending—starting with his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021—overstimulated the economy and fueled this inflation, driving up the cost of groceries, rent, and everyday goods. The Southern Border and Immigration: The Biden administration faced severe…”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Critics argue the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan overstimulated the economy and fueled inflation and higher costs.
10pbs.orgNews and mediaquality 0.87
pbs.org
Backs: “A historic surge of unauthorized border crossings strained local resources across the country, and critics argued the administration was too slow to react or implement stricter border controls. Foreign Policy Setbacks:”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: A surge of unauthorized border crossings strained local resources, and critics said the administration was too slow to impose stricter controls.