Was Joe Biden a good president?

No, not according to most Americans at the time, and the record is mixed and highly polarized—strong in some areas of legislation and economic recovery metrics, weak or damaging in others like inflation's impact, the border, Afghanistan, and public confidence. "Good president" is inherently subjective and depends on one's values (e.g., prioritizing climate action and alliances vs. border security and cost of living). Biden (2021–2025) was a one-term president who left office with low approval and whose party lost the 2024 election. His average Gallup job approval was about 42%, the second-lowest among post-WWII presidents (just above Trump’s first term), starting around 57% and ending near 37–40%.[1]

Historians and analysts note significant legislative achievements despite narrow congressional margins, a robust post-COVID recovery by many metrics, and firm support for Ukraine, but also major setbacks on inflation’s real-world effects, immigration surges, the chaotic Afghanistan exit, handling of the Israel-Hamas war, and perceptions of decline that overshadowed later years.[2][3]

Economic Record

Biden inherited a pandemic-scarred economy. Key positives:

Criticisms center on inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in mid-2022 (40-year high), driven by stimulus, supply shocks, energy, and demand. Cumulative price increases were substantial (~20% overall in some periods; food higher). Real wages lagged for a time for many workers, eroding purchasing power and confidence even as headline stats improved later and wages eventually outpaced prices in periods. Deficits and debt rose significantly. Many voters felt the recovery was uneven or not "felt" amid high costs.[9][6]

The U.S. outperformed much of the developed world post-COVID, but the inflation spike was a political and personal economic disaster for households.

Domestic Policy and Other Achievements

Failures or shortfalls included stalled broader social spending (Build Back Better elements), crime perceptions (though some violent crime metrics later declined from 2020 peaks), and inability to deliver lasting unity or reverse polarization. Age and fitness concerns grew, culminating in his withdrawal from the 2024 race after a poor debate performance.

Immigration and Border

This was a major liability. Southwest border and nationwide encounters reached historic highs—roughly 8.5+ million at the southern border over the term and over 10–11 million nationwide in some tallies (including repeats, ports of entry, and Title 42 expulsions early on)—far exceeding prior periods. Gotaways, unaccompanied minors, and releases into the interior drew heavy criticism. Encounters later fell with policy shifts, Mexican cooperation, and asylum restrictions, but the overall scale strained resources and politics.[10][11][12]

Foreign Policy

Biden restored traditional alliances after Trump but faced a more multipolar, contested world. No new major U.S. wars, but two large proxy/aid-heavy conflicts defined the term.

Overall Assessment

Biden delivered consequential domestic legislation (often compared to major 20th-century packages, achieved with thin majorities) and a strong recovery by conventional metrics, plus solid alliance management on Ukraine.[16] These are durable in some cases (infrastructure, chips, climate incentives). However, the inflation pain, border crisis scale, Afghanistan optics, late-term physical/mental fitness questions, failure to "heal the soul of the nation," and low popularity defined the public verdict. He left office unpopular, with his party out of power, and much of his agenda vulnerable to reversal.[1]

History’s judgment will evolve with long-term outcomes (e.g., climate investments, Ukraine’s fate, debt trajectory, whether industrial policy succeeds). Early scholarly takes call it consequential yet ultimately overshadowed by setbacks and the return of Trump.[17] Public opinion at exit viewed him as below average or poor more often than outstanding. Whether he was "good" hinges on weighting legislative output and recovery stats against lived economic/immigration experiences, foreign missteps, and leadership presence. Both sides have substantial evidence; the electorate rendered a clear negative verdict in 2024.