Was Joe Biden a good president?
Sources like the administration fact sheet, CFR and Guardian stress achievements and economic strength, while NY Post, Washington Times, Newsweek and The Dispatch stress failures such as inflation, border and Afghanistan.
No, or yes—depending on one's priorities, values, and metrics—but the overall public and historical verdict so far leans negative, with significant achievements overshadowed by major shortcomings. "Good president" is inherently subjective. Evaluations differ sharply by party, ideology, and what one prioritizes (e.g., legislative output and alliances vs. inflation control, border security, and executive competence). Biden’s single term (2021–2025) featured notable legislative wins and a strong post-COVID economic recovery in aggregate metrics, but it was marked by high inflation that hit households hard, a chaotic Afghanistan exit, record migrant encounters, low approval ratings, and concerns over his age and capacity that culminated in his withdrawal from the 2024 race.[1]
Public Opinion and Historical Standing
Biden’s average job approval was about 42%, the second-lowest among post-WWII presidents (just above Trump’s). He started around 57% and ended near 40%, with disapproval consistently higher for much of the term. Final Gallup readings put him at 40% approve/54% disapprove.[2][[3]](/statistics/data/joseph-r-biden-public-approval)
Polls at the end of his term found majorities viewing his presidency as a failure (e.g., ~61% in one survey) or expecting history to rate him below average or poor (54% in Gallup). Democrats were more positive; Republicans and many independents were harshly negative.[4][5]
Early historian surveys (pre-full term end) ranked him around 14th all-time—respectable, partly for restoring norms after Trump and legislative output—but later assessments have been more critical, noting political failures, messaging issues, and how inflation/immigration dominated voter perceptions. One-term presidents often fare poorly initially; reevaluations take decades.[6]
Major Achievements
Supporters highlight a productive legislative record despite narrow congressional majorities, plus economic recovery and foreign policy continuity with alliances:
PolitiFact tracked promises: roughly a third kept, a third compromised, a third broken (better than Trump’s first-term tracker on their metrics).[12]
Major Criticisms and Shortcomings
Critics (and many voters) focused on costs of living, security, competence, and execution:
Bottom Line
Biden delivered substantial progressive/industrial policy wins and oversaw a resilient recovery with low unemployment and growth, while restoring traditional alliances. These are substantive. However, the lived experience for many Americans—higher prices, border disorder, the Afghanistan debacle, and questions of fitness—drove low approval, electoral defeat for his party’s successor, and a prevailing view of the term as unsuccessful or average-at-best. Economic "success" on paper often clashed with household inflation pain.[19]
History’s final judgment will depend on long-term effects (e.g., IRA climate/manufacturing impacts, Ukraine outcome, judicial legacy) and comparisons. Like most recent presidents in a polarized era, he leaves a mixed, contested record rather than consensus greatness or failure. Assessments will evolve; early public sentiment is clearly more critical than celebratory.
Citations (19)
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/655298/biden-job-approval-second-lowest-among-post-wwii-presidents.aspx
Backs: “Biden’s single term (2021–2025) featured notable legislative wins and a strong post-COVID economic recovery in aggregate metrics, but it was marked by high inflation that hit households hard, a chaotic Afghanistan exit, record migrant encounters, low approval ratings, and concerns over his age and capacity that…”
background, article, points to no. Claim: Overall summary of Biden's term: achievements overshadowed by inflation, Afghanistan, border encounters, low approval and age concerns.
- https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/final-presidential-job-approval-ratings
Backs: “Final Gallup readings put him at 40% approve/54% disapprove.”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Biden's average approval about 42%, second-lowest post-WWII; final Gallup reading 40% approve, 54% disapprove.
- /statistics/data/joseph-r-biden-public-approval
Backs: “Final Gallup readings put him at 40% approve/54% disapprove.[[3]](/statistics/data/joseph-r-biden-public-approval)”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Biden approval started around 57% and ended near 40%, with disapproval higher for much of term.
- https://nypost.com/2025/01/15/us-news/biden-leaving-office-with-record-low-approval-rating-61-say-his-presidency-was-a-failure-poll/
Backs: “Democrats were more positive; Republicans and many independents were harshly negative.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: About 61% in one survey viewed his presidency as a failure at the end of his term.
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/654878/americans-think-history-rate-biden-presidency-negatively.aspx
Backs: “Democrats were more positive; Republicans and many independents were harshly negative.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: 54% in Gallup expect history to rate Biden's presidency below average or poor.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/18/us/politics/biden-trump-presidential-rankings.html
Backs: “One-term presidents often fare poorly initially; reevaluations take decades.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Early historian surveys ranked Biden around 14th all-time, partly for restoring norms and legislative output.
- https://www.upworthy.com/joe-bidens-23-greatest-achievements-as-president-of-the-united-states-rp/
Backs: “American Rescue Plan ($1.9T) aided recovery, vaccinations (hundreds of millions administered), and temporarily cut child poverty.”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: American Rescue Plan, infrastructure law and IRA achievements, including insulin cap and drug price negotiation.
- https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/administration-fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-record
Backs: “American Rescue Plan ($1.9T) aided recovery, vaccinations (hundreds of millions administered), and temporarily cut child poverty.”
evidence, official document, points to yes. Claim: Administration record on COVID relief, vaccinations, and economic gains such as jobs and growth.
- https://www.cfr.org/articles/bidens-legacy-major-accomplishments-unfinished-business
Backs: “Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for climate/clean energy (~$369B+ investments, largest ever) plus corporate minimum tax and Medicare drug price negotiation (insulin cap at $35/month for seniors, out-of-pocket caps).”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Infrastructure, IRA and foreign policy accomplishments including alliances and Ukraine support.
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/11/01/how-the-economy-really-fared-under-bidenharris-and-trump-from-jobs-to-inflation-final-update/
Backs: “The U.S. avoided a widely predicted recession ("soft landing").”
statistic, article, neutral. Claim: Economic figures on jobs, unemployment, GDP, stocks, and inflation peaking at 9.1% under Biden.
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/02/joe-biden-economy-analysis
Backs: “The U.S. avoided a widely predicted recession ("soft landing").”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: US economy avoided predicted recession and achieved a soft landing under Biden.
- https://politifact.com/article/2025/jan/14/did-joe-biden-keep-these-99-promises-we-reviewed/
Backs: “PolitiFact tracked promises: roughly a third kept, a third compromised, a third broken (better than Trump’s first-term tracker on their metrics).”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: PolitiFact found about a third of promises kept, a third compromised, a third broken; also unmet pledges.
- https://www.investopedia.com/us-inflation-rate-by-president-8546447
Backs: “Stimulus spending contributed (alongside global supply shocks, COVID, and Ukraine war energy effects). High interest rates followed to cool it.”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: Cumulative CPI rose about 20% over the term with elevated average inflation.
- https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-biggest-blunders-mistakes-white-house-legacy-2016765
Backs: “Defenders note it ended an endless war and that over-the-horizon counterterrorism continued (e.g., al-Zawahiri strike).”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Afghanistan withdrawal was chaotic and deadly, with 13 service members killed and rapid Taliban takeover.
- https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/getting-answers-on-afghanistan-withdrawal
Backs: “Defenders note it ended an endless war and that over-the-horizon counterterrorism continued (e.g., al-Zawahiri strike).”
evidence, official document, points to no. Claim: Afghanistan withdrawal execution drew criticism for poor planning.
- https://www.migrationpolicy.org/journal/policy-beat/bidens-mixed-immigration-legacy-border-challenges-overshadowed-modernization
Backs: “Numbers later declined with policy shifts, and there were high legal admissions/naturalizations plus repatriations, but the surge defined the issue politically.”
evidence, article, neutral. Claim: Record border encounters fueled perceptions of crisis, though numbers later declined and legal admissions were high.
- https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jan/14/joe-biden-ends-term-nearly-11-million-illegal-bord/
Backs: “Numbers later declined with policy shifts, and there were high legal admissions/naturalizations plus repatriations, but the surge defined the issue politically.”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: About 10-11 million nationwide border encounters under Biden.
- https://thedispatch.com/article/joe-bidens-legacy-failure/
Backs: “Hunter Biden pardon (after pledges against interference); incomplete progress on voting rights, abortion codification post-Dobbs, assault weapons, minimum wage; rising polarization; mixed foreign policy results (e.g., Gaza handling criticized from multiple sides; China spy balloon). Student debt relief faced court…”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Other criticisms: age concerns, Hunter Biden pardon, unfulfilled goals, and Gaza handling.
- https://qz.com/joe-biden-bidenomics-economy-inflation-unemployment-1851721053
Backs: “Economic "success" on paper often clashed with household inflation pain.”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Economic success on paper clashed with household inflation pain, driving low approval and view of term as unsuccessful.