Was Joe Biden a good president?

Short answer: it depends on what you value. Here’s a concise scorecard of Biden’s presidency through late 2024 (tell me if you want the very latest 2025–2026 updates).

What supporters point to

•Economy and jobs: Rapid post‑COVID job growth, unemployment near historic lows in 2022–2024, manufacturing and infrastructure investment boosted by new laws. Inflation that spiked in 2021–2022 eased notably by 2023–2024.

•Major legislation: American Rescue Plan (2021), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021), CHIPS and Science Act (2022), PACT Act for veterans (2022), and the Inflation Reduction Act (2022)—the largest federal climate/clean‑energy package to date.

•Foreign policy leadership: Built and sustained a broad coalition supporting Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion; strengthened alliances (NATO expansion, AUKUS, the Quad).

•Courts and governance: High volume of federal judicial confirmations with notable demographic diversity; comparatively conventional, lower‑drama executive operations.

•Social policy: Actions to protect access to reproductive care after Dobbs (June 2022); targeted student‑debt relief and a new repayment plan after the Supreme Court blocked his broader plan (June 2023).

What critics highlight

•Inflation and costs: The 2021 American Rescue Plan is criticized for stoking demand and contributing to 2022’s 40‑year‑high inflation, which eroded purchasing power before easing.

•Immigration and the border: Record crossings and strained systems; enforcement shifts and proposed compromises pleased neither restrictionists nor immigrant‑rights advocates.

•Afghanistan withdrawal: Ending the war in August 2021 was broadly popular, but the chaotic exit and loss of life were widely condemned.

•Middle East policy: Strong initial backing for Israel after October 7, 2023 drew intense opposition from parts of his coalition over Palestinian civilian harm and Gaza policy.

•Fiscal concerns and implementation: Large deficits and questions about the cost‑effectiveness and rollout speed of industrial and climate subsidies.

Bottom line

•If your top priorities are climate action, industrial policy, traditional alliances, infrastructure, and a tight labor market, you may judge him favorably.

•If you weight low inflation, strict border enforcement, a flawless Afghanistan exit, or a different approach to the Israel‑Hamas war more heavily, you may judge him poorly.

If you share which areas matter most to you—economy, foreign policy, immigration, climate, social issues—I can give a tailored assessment, and I can also pull up the most current 2025–2026 data if you’d like.

Was Joe Biden a good president?

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