Was Joe Biden a good president?

Evaluating whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a complex and subjective question. Like most modern presidencies, public and scholarly assessments of his term (2021–2025) are deeply polarized.

Supporters point to a historic slate of domestic legislative achievements and the restoration of traditional foreign alliances, while critics emphasize persistent inflation, challenges at the southern border, and notable foreign policy setbacks.

A balanced overview highlights the primary arguments from both sides of the debate.

The Case for a Positive Legacy (Achievements)

Supporters and center-left historians argue that Biden was a highly effective president who passed some of the most consequential domestic legislation in modern American history, often navigating an evenly divided Congress.

•Major Legislative Successes: Biden signed several landmark bills, many with bipartisan support:

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

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion bipartisan package to rebuild roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and expand broadband access.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

•The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in green energy and climate change in U.S. history, which also allowed Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs.

•Economic Recovery: Under his administration, the U.S. experienced historically low unemployment rates (dipping to 3.4%, the lowest in over 50 years), robust job creation, and a faster post-pandemic economic recovery than almost any other G7 nation.

•Global Alliances and Ukraine: Following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Biden was widely praised by allies for unifying NATO and leading a massive international coalition to provide military and financial aid to Ukraine. He also re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement and sought to restore traditional diplomatic norms.

•Pandemic Management: Biden’s administration oversaw the mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, implementing a structured and predictable public health response that helped transition the country back to normalcy.

The Case for a Negative Legacy (Criticisms)

Critics, conservatives, and many political independents argue that Biden’s presidency was marred by economic pain for average families, instability abroad, and domestic crises.

•Inflation and Cost of Living: The defining domestic struggle of Biden's presidency was inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022 (a 40-year high). Critics blame his administration's high spending, particularly the American Rescue Plan, for overheating the economy. Even as inflation cooled later in his term, the cumulative rise in the cost of groceries, rent, and gas left many Americans feeling financially worse off.

•Immigration and the Southern Border: The U.S.–Mexico border saw record-breaking numbers of migrant crossings during Biden's term. Critics accused his administration of failing to secure the border, which strained resources not only in border states but also in major democratic-led cities like New York and Chicago.

•Foreign Policy Setbacks:

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The chaotic U.S. military exit from Kabul resulted in the swift return of the Taliban, the tragic deaths of 13 U.S. service members in a bombing, and left behind thousands of Afghan allies. This event marked a permanent turning point downward in Biden's public approval ratings.

•Geopolitical Instability: Critics argued that the outbreak of major wars in Europe (Ukraine) and the Middle East (Gaza) happened under his watch due to perceived American weakness. His handling of the Israel-Hamas war also alienated progressives and Arab-Americans who criticized his support for Israel, while conservatives argued he did not do enough to deter Iran.

•Age and Reelection Campaign: Biden's advanced age was a persistent concern for voters. Following a weak debate performance in June 2024, pressure from his own party eventually forced him to end his reelection bid in July 2024. Critics argued his insistence on running for a second term until very late in the cycle put his party at a severe disadvantage.

How Historians and the Public View His Presidency

Historically, public approval ratings for Biden remained low for the majority of his term, hovering around 40%. This reflected the deep partisan divisions in the country, with Democrats generally viewing his presidency as an institutional and legislative success, while Republicans viewed it as a period of economic and foreign policy decline.

For historians, Biden is often described as a "transitional" or "bridge" president who stabilized the government after the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic and the January 6 Capitol riot, but whose long-term legacy remains clouded by inflation and global instability. As is common with many single-term presidencies, how future generations judge Joe Biden will largely depend on the long-term impact of his massive infrastructure and green energy investments.

Citations (10)

1princeton.eduAcademic
princeton.edu
Backs: “Evaluating whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a complex and subjective question.”
2gallup.comCompanies
gallup.com
Backs: “Like most modern presidencies, public and scholarly assessments of his term (2021–2025) are deeply polarized.”
3port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “Like most modern presidencies, public and scholarly assessments of his term (2021–2025) are deeply polarized.”
4washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
washingtonpost.com
Backs: “Supporters point to a historic slate of domestic legislative achievements and the restoration of traditional foreign alliances, while critics emphasize persistent inflation, challenges at the southern border, and notable foreign policy setbacks.”
5time.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
time.com
Backs: “Supporters and center-left historians argue that Biden was a highly effective president who passed some of the most consequential domestic legislation in modern American history, often navigating an evenly divided Congress.”
6pbs.orgNews and mediaquality 0.87
pbs.org
Backs: “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion bipartisan package to rebuild roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and expand broadband access. The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.”
7forbes.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
forbes.com
Backs: “Economic Recovery: Under his administration, the U.S. experienced historically low unemployment rates (dipping to 3.4%, the lowest in over 50 years), robust job creation, and a faster post-pandemic economic recovery than almost any other G7 nation.”
8millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “He also re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement and sought to restore traditional diplomatic norms. Pandemic Management: Biden’s administration oversaw the mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, implementing a structured and predictable public health response that helped transition the country back to normalcy.”
9heritage.orgNonprofits and think tanks
heritage.org
Backs: “Critics, conservatives, and many political independents argue that Biden’s presidency was marred by economic pain for average families, instability abroad, and domestic crises. Inflation and Cost of Living: The defining domestic struggle of Biden's presidency was inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022 (a 40-year…”
10pewresearch.orgNonprofits and think tanks
pewresearch.org
Backs: “Historically, public approval ratings for Biden remained low for the majority of his term, hovering around 40%. This reflected the deep partisan divisions in the country, with Democrats generally viewing his presidency as an institutional and legislative success, while Republicans viewed it as a period of economic and…”