Was Joe Biden a good president?

Was Biden's presidency considered successful? I'll gather assessments of his record, achievements and criticisms.

Whether Joe Biden was a good president is subjective and depends on political perspective and criteria used. Historians and the public have evaluated his 2021-2025 term differently:

How historians rank him

In early historical assessments, scholars have tended to rank him above average:

•In the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey of 525 historians and political science scholars, he was ranked 14th of 46 presidents, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan and Ulysses S. Grant. That placed him in the top third of presidents.

•Scholars noted that judgment is still "in progress" but credited him for restoring a more traditional presidential style after Trump, and for stabilizing institutions.

•An earlier Siena College Research Institute survey in 2022 ranked him 19th out of 45 presidents.

Supporters argue this reflects a productive legislative record. Opponents argue such academic surveys have a liberal bias and that it is too early for a historical judgment.

Accomplishments cited by supporters

The administration highlights several major laws and initiatives passed through narrow Democratic majorities:

•The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package enacted in March 2021; a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law funding roads, bridges, rail and broadband; and steps to enable Medicare drug-price negotiations

•Investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and the CHIPS and Science Act incentivizing domestic semiconductor production

•Rejoining the Paris Agreement and WHO early in his term and working to strengthen NATO and launch initiatives like the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment

•Appointing roughly 235 federal judges over his term, with a majority women and a large share from non-white backgrounds — surpassing recent presidents in single-term appointments

•Other actions cited include the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, rescinding the transgender military ban, and signing the Respect for Marriage Act

Proponents also point to managing the end of the COVID pandemic, rebuilding infrastructure, and leading an international coalition against Russian aggression after its invasion of Ukraine, and to consistent job creation during recovery.

Criticisms cited by opponents

Critics and many voters focused on cost-of-living, border security, and crisis management:

•Inflation: Prices rose fast in 2021-2022 and inflation reached 9.1% in June 2022, the highest in about 40 years. Between December 2020 and December 2024 CPI rose 21.3% with an annualized rate near 5.3%. Critics linked part of the rise to the large spending of the American Rescue Plan, while supporters pointed to supply problems and the war in Ukraine.

•Immigration: Border agents recorded more than 2 million encounters at the southwest border in both fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023, and critics said policies after stopping border wall construction encouraged crossings. Crossings fell after a June 2024 executive order limiting asylum.

•Afghanistan: In August 2021 U.S. forces left Afghanistan and the Taliban took power, with a bombing at Kabul airport killing 13 U.S. service members. Critics called the exit chaotic, while supporters said ending the war was necessary.

•Energy and prices: After canceling the Keystone XL permit and pausing new federal oil and gas leases, the average price of gas passed $5 a gallon in June 2022, though U.S. oil production later reached a record high in 2023.

•Age and leadership: Concerns about Biden's age and health persisted throughout his presidency. He entered office with majority support, but his approval ratings declined significantly during his presidency, particularly over concerns about inflation and immigration.

How the public viewed him at the time

Public polling was much more negative than historians' rankings:

•Around one-quarter of U.S. adults said Biden was a "good" or "great" president, with less than 1 in 10 saying he was "great".

•54% of Americans said he would be remembered as "below average" (37%) or "poor" (17%), while only 19% said "outstanding" or "above average", and another poll found 54% expect him to be rated as below average or poor when history looks back.

•His final Gallup approval rating was 40%, and his full-term average of 42.2% was the second lowest of any post-World War II president.

In summary, historians in 2024 rated Biden in the upper half of presidents based on legislative achievements and institutional stability, while a majority of contemporary voters rated his performance as average to poor, largely due to inflation, immigration, and concerns about age and execution of the Afghanistan withdrawal. As with most presidents, long-term judgment may change as the durable effects of his laws, judicial appointments, and foreign policy become clearer.

Citations (3)

1factually.coLow provenance
What Did Joe Biden Accomplish As President?
Backs: “Accomplishments cited by supporters. The administration highlights several major laws and initiatives passed through narrow Democratic majorities: The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package enacted in March 2021; a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law funding roads, bridges, rail and…”
2civicsway.comNot yet classified
Biden’s Administration: Ten Areas of Criticism (2021–2025)
Backs: “Criticisms cited by opponents. Critics and many voters focused on cost-of-living, border security, and crisis management:”
3wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
Joe Biden
Backs: “Energy and prices: After canceling the Keystone XL permit and pausing new federal oil and gas leases, the average price of gas passed $5 a gallon in June 2022, though U.S. oil production later reached a record high in 2023.”