Was Joe Biden a good president?

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is fundamentally a matter of political perspective and values, so I can't give you a definitive yes/no answer. Instead, let me lay out some of the key achievements and criticisms that shape people's views, and you can weigh them according to your own priorities.## It Depends on Your Perspective

Whether Biden was a "good" president isn't something I can answer objectively—it depends heavily on your political values and priorities. Here's a balanced look at both sides of the debate:

Arguments for a positive legacy

Pandemic and economic recovery: The Biden administration successfully navigated an effective response to the COVID pandemic and oversaw the passing of the most significant climate legislation in US history. The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act delivered lasting investments.

Job growth: Biden was the first president under whom jobs were created during every month in office, with the economy creating 2.23 million jobs in the final year of his term.

Healthcare: Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act nearly doubled from four years prior.

Judicial appointments: Biden got more federal judges confirmed than any president in a single term, save Jimmy Carter.

Foreign policy: His steadfast support for Ukraine and NATO expansion, at a time of creeping autocracy in Europe, was seen by some as heroic.

Historians' rankings (as of early 2024): A poll of historians ranked Biden as the 14th-best president in American history, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan and Ulysses S. Grant.

Arguments for a negative legacy

Afghanistan withdrawal: The chaotic nature of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is widely seen as one of Biden's failures.

Gaza/Israel policy: Critics, particularly on the left, point to his handling of the Israel-Gaza war as a major stain on his legacy, with critics saying he failed to prevent civilian casualties as Israel bombed Gaza. Biden periodically criticized Netanyahu but failed to rein him in, instead ensuring weapons kept flowing to Israel.

2024 re-election decision: Many analysts consider his decision to run for re-election given his physical and mental condition to have been arguably his biggest mistake, causing a crisis within the Democratic Party and increasing Trump's chances of returning to power.

Public approval: By the numbers, his popularity was historically weak. Biden averaged 42.2% job approval during his four years as president, the second lowest in Gallup polling history. A Gallup poll found 54% of U.S. adults expect that Biden will go down in history as a below-average or poor president, while 26% say he'll be remembered as average and only 19% as outstanding or above average.

Partisan divide: Biden's -92 net rating among Republicans was more than 40 points worse than for any other Democratic president.

The bottom line

Assessments of Biden vary wildly depending on who's asked. Professional historians (as of 2024) rated him relatively favorably in historical context, while general public approval was among the lowest on record for modern presidents—reflecting the deep political schism in the US rather than a purely objective assessment of his performance. His presidency is often described as having real accomplishments in COVID response, infrastructure, and job growth, contrasted with significant criticism over foreign policy handling and the controversial decision to seek re-election at an advanced age.

Ultimately, whether these tradeoffs add up to "good" or "bad" is a value judgment only you can make.