Was Joe Biden a good president?

Both sidesSays it is contested

I don't have a simple yes/no answer to this since it's a genuinely contested political question, but I can share how people evaluate his presidency and let you weigh the evidence.

Things supporters point to:

•Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS Act, and Inflation Reduction Act (climate/healthcare provisions)

•Job growth and low unemployment for much of his term

•COVID vaccine rollout continuation and economic recovery

•Rebuilding certain international alliances (NATO cohesion around Ukraine support)

•Bipartisan infrastructure and gun safety legislation

Things critics point to:

•Inflation surge in 2021-2023, which hurt real wages and consumer sentiment

•Chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal

•Border/immigration policy controversies

•Age and fitness for office concerns, especially later in his term

•Handling of Israel-Gaza conflict drew criticism from multiple directions

•Some felt he didn't fulfill certain progressive promises (student debt relief faced legal hurdles, for instance)

It also depends on what you value:

•Economic populists, foreign policy hawks/doves, progressives, and moderates would each weigh these differently

•Historians will likely debate his legacy for decades, as they do with most presidents

If you want, I can go deeper on any specific policy area—economy, foreign policy, judicial appointments, etc.—or point you toward primary sources/data so you can form your own assessment. What aspect are you most curious about?

Was Joe Biden a good president?

Citations (0)