Was Joe Biden a good president?
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is inherently subjective. It depends on one's priorities (e.g., economy, immigration, foreign policy, social issues, competence), values, and political perspective. Objective metrics, legislative records, and public opinion provide a mixed picture: significant domestic legislative and economic achievements alongside high inflation, a chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal, a major border surge, low and polarized approval ratings, and concerns about his age and fitness that ultimately led him to drop his 2024 reelection bid.[1]
Biden (2021–2025) left office with historically low marks from the public. His average Gallup job approval was about 42%—the second-lowest among post-WWII presidents (just above Trump’s first-term 41%). It started around 57% amid the COVID recovery honeymoon, fell below 50% after the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, and stayed mostly in the high 30s to low 40s, ending near 40%.[8][1]
On legacy specifically, a January 2025 Gallup poll found 54% of Americans expected history to rate him “below average” or “poor,” 26% “average,” and only 19% “outstanding” or “above average”—ratings similar to Richard Nixon’s and worse than most recent presidents. An AP-NORC poll similarly found only about a quarter viewing him as a “great” or “good” president. Views were highly partisan.[2][3]
Economic Record
The economy recovered strongly from the COVID recession under Biden, though inflation was a major pain point for many households:
The labor market stayed resilient even as the Federal Reserve hiked rates aggressively to fight inflation.
Major Domestic Accomplishments
Despite narrow congressional margins, Biden signed several major bills:
Supporters highlight these as rebuilding American manufacturing/supply chains, addressing climate, and investing in the middle class (“Bidenomics”). Critics argue some spending contributed to inflation or that results (e.g., infrastructure projects) have been slow or mismanaged.
Foreign Policy
Major Criticisms and Challenges
Bottom Line
Biden oversaw a strong post-COVID economic rebound with historic job gains and landmark investments in infrastructure, tech, climate, and healthcare, while ending the Afghanistan war and bolstering support for Ukraine/NATO. These are substantial. However, the inflation spike, Afghanistan execution, prolonged border crisis, and questions of fitness overshadowed them for much of the public, resulting in low approval and negative legacy expectations at the time of departure.[6]
History’s judgment often softens or shifts with time and outcomes (e.g., long-term effects of IRA climate spending or CHIPS manufacturing). Partisan polarization means Democrats generally rate him far higher than Republicans or independents. “Good” ultimately hinges on whether one prioritizes the legislative/economic wins and alliance-building, or the inflation, competence optics, immigration, and foreign missteps. Data supports a competent but flawed, consequential one-term presidency rather than an unqualified success or disaster.
Citations (19)
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/655298/biden-job-approval-second-lowest-among-post-wwii-presidents.aspx
Backs: “[[1]](https://news.gallup.com/poll/655298/biden-job-approval-second-lowest-among-post-wwii-presidents.aspx)”
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/654878/americans-think-history-rate-biden-presidency-negatively.aspx
Backs: “[[2]](https://news.gallup.com/poll/654878/americans-think-history-rate-biden-presidency-negatively.aspx)”
- https://apnorc.org/projects/bidens-legacy-as-president/
Backs: “[[3]](https://apnorc.org/projects/bidens-legacy-as-president/)”
- https://www.cfr.org/articles/bidens-legacy-major-accomplishments-unfinished-business
Backs: “[[4]](https://www.cfr.org/articles/bidens-legacy-major-accomplishments-unfinished-business)”
- https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-biggest-blunders-mistakes-white-house-legacy-2016765
Backs: “[[5]](https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-biggest-blunders-mistakes-white-house-legacy-2016765)”
- https://theconversation.com/joe-bidens-legacy-four-successes-and-four-failures-246454
Backs: “[[6]](https://theconversation.com/joe-bidens-legacy-four-successes-and-four-failures-246454)”
- https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-06-01/looking-back-at-the-good-old-days-of-economic-growth-under-biden
Backs: “[[7]](https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-06-01/looking-back-at-the-good-old-days-of-economic-growth-under-biden)”
- https://www.davemanuel.com/us-presidential-approval-ratings-history.php
Backs: “It started around 57% amid the COVID recovery honeymoon, fell below 50% after the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021, and stayed mostly in the high 30s to low 40s, ending near 40%.”
- https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/administration-fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-record
Backs: “Unemployment fell from 6.4% at inauguration to around 4% (or lower for stretches), with periods of the lowest rates in 50 years, including record lows for some demographic groups.”
- https://www.investopedia.com/unemployment-rate-by-president-8637843
Backs: “Unemployment fell from 6.4% at inauguration to around 4% (or lower for stretches), with periods of the lowest rates in 50 years, including record lows for some demographic groups.”
- https://cepr.net/publications/gdp-grows-2-3-percent/
Backs: “Cumulative post-pandemic growth was robust compared to other G7 countries.”
- 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: “Critics blamed large stimulus spending (e.g., American Rescue Plan); supporters pointed to global supply shocks, energy prices from the Russia-Ukraine war, and pandemic effects.”
- https://www.factcheck.org/2024/10/bidens-numbers-2024-pre-election-update/
Backs: “Critics blamed large stimulus spending (e.g., American Rescue Plan); supporters pointed to global supply shocks, energy prices from the Russia-Ukraine war, and pandemic effects.”
- https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/3266660/biden-five-biggest-legislative-accomplishments/
Backs: “Large COVID relief package with stimulus payments, expanded unemployment aid, and child tax credit expansions that temporarily cut child poverty significantly.”
- https://www.upworthy.com/joe-bidens-23-greatest-achievements-as-president-of-the-united-states-rp/
Backs: “Largest U.S. climate/clean energy investment in history, plus Medicare drug price negotiation, insulin caps for seniors, and corporate minimum tax elements.”
- https://politifact.com/article/2024/aug/19/as-joe-biden-prepares-to-speak-dnc-what-has/
Backs: “Ketanji Brown Jackson as first Black woman on the Supreme Court; efforts on student debt relief (partially blocked by courts) and ACA expansions.”
- https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-the-biden-administrations-report-on-the-afghanistan-withdrawal-gets-wrong/
Backs: “Defenders note it ended a costly forever war with no clear path to victory.”
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2024/02/11/trump-biden-immigration-border-compared/
Backs: “Numbers dropped sharply later via executive actions, Mexico cooperation, and asylum restrictions, but the overall surge defined much of the term politically.”
- https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/biden-immigration-legacy
Backs: “Numbers dropped sharply later via executive actions, Mexico cooperation, and asylum restrictions, but the overall surge defined much of the term politically.”