Was Joe Biden a good president?
Historian rankings (14th greatest) and economic/legislative praise conflict with Gallup approval data and critiques calling his record failures on Afghanistan, Gaza, and reelection.
Whether Joe Biden was a "good president" is a matter of political opinion rather than an objective fact, and reasonable people disagree based on their values and priorities. Rather than declaring a verdict, I can lay out the major achievements and criticisms that inform different assessments of his presidency.Whether Biden was a "good president" depends heavily on political perspective and which criteria you value—there's no objective consensus. Here's a balanced picture of the main arguments on each side:
Arguments for a positive assessment
Economic recovery & legislation: The administration's economic performance exceeded many forecasters' expectations, especially in job creation, and Biden will be the first president under whom jobs were created during every month they were in office, with the economy creating 2.23 million jobs in the final year of his term. This was driven by significant moves such as the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which instigated significant federal investment in national infrastructure, and the Chips and Science Act, which saw significant investment in the building of microprocessor chip plants.
COVID response: His quick action upon taking office to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including expediting vaccinations and steering the American Rescue Plan to passage, contributed to a "first 100 days" more robust in achievement than perhaps any president since FDR. The American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion relief bill, provided stimulus checks directly to Americans, support for state and local governments and billions of dollars in vaccine distribution.
Healthcare & judiciary: Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act nearly doubled from four years ago, and Biden got more federal judges confirmed than any president in a single term (save Jimmy Carter), including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the nation's highest court.
Foreign policy: His steadfast support for Ukraine and NATO expansion, at a time of creeping autocracy in Europe, was heroic in the eyes of supporters. A 2024 survey of presidential historians ranked Biden the 14th greatest president in U.S. history, based on a survey of social science experts in presidential politics who rated each president on a scale from zero to 100.
Arguments for a negative assessment
Public approval: By the numbers, this is one of the weaker parts of his record. Joe Biden averaged 42.2% job approval during his four years as president, the second lowest in Gallup polling history. Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults expect that Joe Biden will go down in history as a below-average or poor president, while 26% say he will be remembered as an average president and 19% as outstanding or above average.
Foreign policy failures: The chaotic nature of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan will be seen as one of Biden's failures. Critics on the left were especially harsh on Gaza: the biggest stain on his legacy will forever be his abdication of moral leadership as Israel bombed Gaza; Biden periodically criticized Netanyahu's handling of the war but failed to rein him in, instead ensuring a steady stream of weapons continued to flow into Israel.
The 2024 decision: Many analysts point to his choice to seek reelection as a major misstep. Biden's decision to run for re-election in 2024, given his physical and mental condition, was arguably his biggest mistake, causing a crisis within the Democratic Party and allowing Kamala Harris to become the nominee hastily and without internal party competition.
Immigration and economic pain: Biden's failures in areas such as immigration policies, lack of planning in handling international crises, and weaknesses within his economic team created an environment favorable for Trump's return.
The bottom line
One commentator captured the split well: Joe Biden concludes his single term as, paradoxically, one of the best and worst presidents to occupy the Oval Office. Historians note that it will take years to fully assess Biden's legacy and his lasting imprint on American politics, and even the more favorable historian rankings acknowledge that future assessments will have to incorporate new information not only about his deterioration but also the extent to which he and his staff kept it hidden, the administration's ineffectual handling of the war in Gaza, the president's low standing with the American people at the conclusion of his term.
So the honest answer is: it depends on what you prioritize. If you weight COVID recovery, infrastructure investment, and judicial appointments heavily, you'd lean positive. If you weight the Afghanistan withdrawal, Gaza policy, the 2024 reelection decision, and his historically low approval ratings more heavily, you'd lean negative. What matters most to you in evaluating a presidency?
Citations (16)
- Joe Biden’s legacy: four successes and four failures
Source excerpt: “The administration’s economic performance exceeded many forecasters’ expectations, especially in job creation. Biden will be the first president under...”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Economic performance exceeded forecasters' expectations; jobs created every month of his term, 2.23 million in final year.
- Joe Biden’s legacy: four successes and four failures
Source excerpt: “This has been driven by significant moves such as the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which instigated significant federal investment in national...”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and CHIPS Act drove significant federal investment in infrastructure and chip plants.
- Biden's legacy: Historians weigh in on how the 46th president will be remembered
Source excerpt: “"His quick action upon taking office to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including expediting vaccinations and steering the American Rescue Plan to pass...”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Quick COVID action, vaccinations and American Rescue Plan made first 100 days robust.
- What might President Biden's legacy be?
Source excerpt: “Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act has nearly doubled from four years ago. Biden got more federal judges confirmed than any president in a single t...”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: ACA enrollment nearly doubled; Biden confirmed more federal judges than any president in a single term except Carter.
- Photo: The New Yorker
Source excerpt: “As of 2024, Biden has appointed over 170 judges to federal courts, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to ser...”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
- What might President Biden's legacy be?
Source excerpt: “His steadfast support for Ukraine and NATO expansion, at a time of creeping autocracy in Europe, was heroic. ”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Support for Ukraine and NATO expansion was seen as heroic by supporters.
- Historians rank Joe Biden as 14th-greatest US president; Lincoln in 1st, Trump in last
Source excerpt: “Delaware's own Joe Biden has been ranked the 14th greatest president in U.S. history, according to a newly released survey of historians. The 2024 Pre...”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: 2024 survey of historians ranked Biden 14th greatest president.
- Biden Job Approval Second Lowest Among Post-WWII Presidents
Source excerpt: “WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Joe Biden averaged 42.2% job approval during his four years as president, the second lowest in Gallup polling history. ”
statistic, article, points to no. Claim: Biden averaged 42.2% job approval, second lowest in Gallup history.
- Presidential Approval Ratings — Gallup Historical Statistics and Trends
Source excerpt: “... Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults expect that Joe Biden will go down in history as a below-average or poor president, while 26% say he will be r...”
statistic, data page, points to no. Claim: 54% of adults expect Biden to be remembered as below-average or poor; 26% average; 19% above average.
- Joe Biden’s legacy: four successes and four failures
Source excerpt: “The chaotic nature of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan will be seen as one of Biden’s failures. ”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal seen as one of Biden's failures.
- Joe Biden’s Presidency: Reviewing the Good and the Bad
Source excerpt: “Biden’s remarkable service to the country includes defeating Donald Trump in 2020 — which in that moment had the air of ... Gaza: The biggest stain o...”
attribution, article, points to no. Claim: Critics on the left called Gaza the biggest stain on his legacy.
- Biden's Legacy: Achievements and Failures of a President - Modern Diplomacy
Source excerpt: “... Biden’s decision to run for re-election in 2024, given his physical and mental condition, was arguably his biggest mistake. This decision caused a...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Running for reelection given his condition was arguably his biggest mistake, hastily producing Harris as nominee.
- Biden's Legacy: Achievements and Failures of a President - Modern Diplomacy
Source excerpt: “However, Biden’s failures in areas such as immigration policies, lack of planning in handling international crises, and weaknesses within his economic...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Immigration failures, poor crisis planning and economic team weaknesses favored Trump's return.
- Joe Biden’s Presidency: Reviewing the Good and the Bad
Source excerpt: “Joe Biden concludes his single term as, paradoxically, one of the best and worst presidents to occupy the Oval Office. ”
attribution, article, neutral. Claim: One commentator called Biden paradoxically one of the best and worst presidents.
- Biden's legacy: Historians weigh in on how the 46th president will be remembered
Source excerpt: “Historians, though, say it will take years to fully assess Biden's legacy and his lasting imprint on American politics. ”
attribution, article, neutral. Claim: Historians say it will take years to fully assess Biden's legacy.
- Opinion: Experts once thought highly of Biden's presidency. Here's how his legacy is likely to change
Source excerpt: “Future assessments will have to incorporate new information not only about his deterioration but also the extent to which he and his staff kept it hid...”
evidence, article, points to no. Claim: Future assessments must incorporate his deterioration, staff concealment, Gaza handling and low standing at term's end.