Was Joe Biden a good president?

Evaluating whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of active debate, with assessments varying significantly depending on whether they come from historians, political analysts, the general public, or partisan supporters and detractors.

During his term (2021–2025), Biden presided over a highly polarized country, leading to contrasting views of his legacy. Below is an overview of the primary arguments supporting a positive assessment of his presidency, alongside the major criticisms and sources of public dissatisfaction.

Arguments for a Positive Assessment (Achievements & Expert Views)

Supporters and many academic historians generally praise Biden for his extensive legislative record, post-pandemic management, and efforts to restore traditional democratic norms. In a 2024 survey of presidential scholars (the Presidential Greatness Project), experts ranked Biden 14th out of the 46 U.S. presidents, placing him in the top third.

Key arguments for a positive legacy include:

•Major Legislative Accomplishments: Despite a highly divided Congress, Biden signed several historic, bipartisan, and partisan bills into law. These included:

•The American Rescue Plan (2021): A massive COVID-19 relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct financial aid to Americans.

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A bipartisan $1 trillion investment in the nation’s roads, bridges, public transit, and clean energy grid.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): A law aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

•The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): Landmark legislation that allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, capped insulin costs for seniors, and represented the largest federal investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history.

•Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery: Under Biden’s administration, the U.S. economy experienced robust job growth, with unemployment rates dropping to historic lows. The country recovered from the COVID-19 economic downturn faster and more strongly than almost any other G7 nation.

•Rebuilding Foreign Alliances: Following the "America First" foreign policy of his predecessor, Biden focused on repairing relations with traditional allies. He revitalized NATO and spearheaded international support for Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion.

•Judicial Appointments: Biden secured the confirmation of numerous federal judges, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Arguments for a Negative Assessment (Criticisms & Public Dissatisfaction)

Conversely, critics and a significant portion of the American public view Biden's presidency unfavorably. Public opinion polls toward the end of his term reflected widespread dissatisfaction, with his average approval rating hovering in the low 40s. A Gallup poll conducted near the end of his presidency in late 2024 revealed that 54% of U.S. adults believed history would judge his presidency as "below average" or "poor," contrasting sharply with the more favorable views of academic historians.

Key criticisms of his legacy include:

•Inflation and the Cost of Living: Although the job market was strong, the Biden administration presided over the highest inflation the U.S. had seen in 40 years, peaking at 9.1% in mid-2022 and averaging 5.4% annually across his term. Critics argued that massive federal spending—particularly the American Rescue Plan—overstimulated the economy and fueled this inflation, which severely strained household budgets and eroded public trust in his economic management.

•The Southern Border Crisis: One of the most prominent lines of criticism centered on immigration and border security. Critics blamed the Biden administration’s early decisions to roll back several Trump-era border policies for a historic surge in migrant crossings at the U.S.–Mexico border, arguing that the administration failed to maintain basic border security.

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The chaotic U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 was widely condemned. The rapid collapse of the Afghan government, the return of the Taliban, and a terrorist attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and over 150 Afghans at Kabul airport severely damaged the administration’s reputation for competence and foreign policy expertise.

•Perceptions of Weakness and Age: Throughout his presidency, political opponents—and later, many within his own party—expressed concern over Biden’s advanced age. This perception of diminished physical and cognitive stamina culminated in his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race following a highly criticized debate performance in June of that year.

Conclusion

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president depends on which aspects of his term are prioritized. To his supporters, he was a highly consequential, transition-era president who navigated the country through a global pandemic, achieved monumental legislative victories, and defended democratic institutions. To his critics, his presidency was characterized by high inflation, a crisis at the southern border, international instability, and a general decline in the public’s standard of living.

Citations (7)

1port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “During his term (2021–2025), Biden presided over a highly polarized country, leading to contrasting views of his legacy. Below is an overview of the primary arguments supporting a positive assessment of his presidency, alongside the major criticisms and sources of public dissatisfaction.”
2latimes.comNews and mediaquality 0.85
latimes.com
Backs: “Supporters and many academic historians generally praise Biden for his extensive legislative record, post-pandemic management, and efforts to restore traditional democratic norms. In a 2024 survey of presidential scholars (the Presidential Greatness Project), experts ranked Biden 14th out of the 46 U.S.”
3uh.eduAcademic
uh.edu
Backs: “In a 2024 survey of presidential scholars (the Presidential Greatness Project), experts ranked Biden 14th out of the 46 U.S. presidents, placing him in the top third.”
4democratsabroad.orgNonprofits and think tanks
democratsabroad.org
Backs: “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A bipartisan $1 trillion investment in the nation’s roads, bridges, public transit, and clean energy grid. The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): A law aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.”
5forbes.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
forbes.com
Backs: “Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery: Under Biden’s administration, the U.S. economy experienced robust job growth, with unemployment rates dropping to historic lows. The country recovered from the COVID-19 economic downturn faster and more strongly than almost any other G7 nation.”
6gallup.comCompanies
gallup.com
Backs: “A Gallup poll conducted near the end of his presidency in late 2024 revealed that 54% of U.S. adults believed history would judge his presidency as "below average" or "poor," contrasting sharply with the more favorable views of academic historians. Key criticisms of his legacy include:”
7house.govGovernment
house.gov
Backs: “Inflation and the Cost of Living: Although the job market was strong, the Biden administration presided over the highest inflation the U.S. had seen in 40 years, peaking at 9.1% in mid-2022 and averaging 5.4% annually across his term. Critics argued that massive federal spending—particularly the American Rescue…”