Was Joe Biden a good president?

Evaluating whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a complex question with no single consensus. Like most modern presidencies, his tenure (2021–2025) is viewed very differently depending on one’s political perspective, economic priorities, and foreign policy outlook.

Historians, political scientists, and the public often point to distinct sets of accomplishments and failures when assessing his legacy.

The Case for a Positive Evaluation (Key Accomplishments)

Supporters and progressive historians argue that Biden was a highly effective president who passed historic legislation despite working with razor-thin congressional majorities.

•Major Legislative Legacy: Biden signed several landmark, often bipartisan, pieces of legislation that supporters compare to the programs of the New Deal or the Great Society:

•The American Rescue Plan (2021): A $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that funded vaccine distribution, sent direct stimulus checks, and temporarily cut child poverty.

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A bipartisan $1.2 trillion package to rebuild America’s roads, bridges, public transit, and clean water systems.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to compete with China.

•The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history, which also allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and capped insulin costs for seniors.

•Economic Recovery: Under his administration, the U.S. economy experienced historically low unemployment rates (reaching a 50-year low of 3.4% in 2023) and record-breaking job creation, recovering faster from the pandemic than other major global economies.

•Judicial Appointments: Biden appointed more than 200 federal judges, focusing heavily on demographic and professional diversity, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

•Rebuilding International Alliances: Biden repaired relationships with traditional democratic allies, particularly NATO. He rallied international support and provided critical aid to Ukraine following the Russian invasion of 2022.

•Restoring Normalcy: Supporters credit him with stabilizing democratic norms and lowering the political temperature in Washington following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

The Case for a Negative Evaluation (Key Criticisms)

Critics, including Republicans and some moderate and progressive defectors, argue that his policies worsened domestic crises and weakened America’s standing abroad.

•Inflation and Cost of Living: The defining domestic struggle of Biden’s presidency was high inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022 and averaged 5.4% over his term. Critics blame his massive government spending packages (such as the American Rescue Plan) for overstimulating and overheating the economy.

•Border Security and Immigration: Biden faced heavy criticism from both Republicans and local Democratic leaders over his handling of the southern U.S. border. Illegal border crossings reached record highs during his term, straining municipal resources in cities across the country before he implemented stricter asylum limits late in his term.

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 was widely criticized as chaotic and poorly executed. It resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, left behind billions of dollars in military equipment, and led to the rapid return of the Taliban to power. This event marked a permanent downward turning point in Biden’s public approval ratings.

•Foreign Policy Crises: Critics argue that global instability grew on Biden’s watch. In addition to the war in Ukraine, the Middle East was plunged into conflict following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Biden faced immense domestic backlash from the left for his staunch support of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and from the right for not being decisive enough.

•Age, Health, and Political Exit: As the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, Biden’s age (81 by the end of his term) was a constant source of public concern. Following a highly criticized debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2024, Biden faced immense pressure from within his own party and withdrew from the 2024 presidential race. Critics argue his insistence on running for re-election until late in the cycle left his party at a disadvantage, ultimately paving the way for Trump's return to the presidency.

How Historians and the Public View Him

Assessments of Biden’s legacy vary widely depending on the audience:

•Historians and Presidential Scholars: In academic surveys (such as the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey conducted in early 2024), historians ranked Biden relatively high—placing him 14th out of 46 presidents. Scholars tended to favor his significant legislative output, his efforts to preserve democratic institutions, and his reinforcement of international alliances.

•The General Public: Biden’s public approval ratings were consistently low for the second half of his term, averaging around 42%. This reflected widespread public anxiety over the daily cost of living, immigration, and general dissatisfaction with the direction of the country.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Joe Biden's legacy is a study in contrasts. To those who prioritize long-term domestic investments in infrastructure, technology, and climate change, alongside a traditional foreign policy of global alliances, he is viewed as a highly successful president. To those who prioritize immediate economic pain (such as inflation), border security, and strong deterrences against foreign adversaries, his presidency is viewed as a period of domestic and global decline.

Citations (10)

1ballotpedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.89
ballotpedia.org
Backs: “Like most modern presidencies, his tenure (2021–2025) is viewed very differently depending on one’s political perspective, economic priorities, and foreign policy outlook. Historians, political scientists, and the public often point to distinct sets of accomplishments and failures when assessing his legacy.”
2port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “Like most modern presidencies, his tenure (2021–2025) is viewed very differently depending on one’s political perspective, economic priorities, and foreign policy outlook. Historians, political scientists, and the public often point to distinct sets of accomplishments and failures when assessing his legacy.”
3millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Historians, political scientists, and the public often point to distinct sets of accomplishments and failures when assessing his legacy.”
4youtube.comSocial media and video
youtube.com
Backs: “The Case for a Positive Evaluation (Key Accomplishments). Supporters and progressive historians argue that Biden was a highly effective president who passed historic legislation despite working with razor-thin congressional majorities. Major Legislative Legacy: Biden signed several landmark, often bipartisan, pieces…”
5cfr.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cfr.org
Backs: “The Case for a Positive Evaluation (Key Accomplishments). Supporters and progressive historians argue that Biden was a highly effective president who passed historic legislation despite working with razor-thin congressional majorities. Major Legislative Legacy: Biden signed several landmark, often bipartisan, pieces…”
6floridapolitics.comNot yet classified
floridapolitics.com
Backs: “The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to compete with China. The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in fighting climate change in U.S.”
7democratsabroad.orgNonprofits and think tanks
democratsabroad.org
Backs: “The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history, which also allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and capped insulin costs for seniors. Economic Recovery: Under his administration, the U.S.”
8millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Restoring Normalcy: Supporters credit him with stabilizing democratic norms and lowering the political temperature in Washington following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.”
9milwaukeeindependent.comNot yet classified
milwaukeeindependent.com
Backs: “Illegal border crossings reached record highs during his term, straining municipal resources in cities across the country before he implemented stricter asylum limits late in his term. The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The U.S.”
10axios.comNews and mediaquality 0.90
axios.com
Backs: “Historians and Presidential Scholars: In academic surveys (such as the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey conducted in early 2024), historians ranked Biden relatively high—placing him 14th out of 46 presidents. Scholars tended to favor his significant legislative output, his efforts to preserve democratic…”