Was Joe Biden a good president?

No, not according to most Americans at the end of his term, though the question is inherently subjective and depends on one's priorities, values, and metrics of "good." Joe Biden (2021–2025) was a consequential one-term president with notable legislative and economic achievements amid major challenges, but low public approval, significant policy criticisms, and a sense that his tenure left the country more divided. Historians will debate his legacy for years; early public polls rate it poorly.[1]

Public Opinion and Approval

Biden entered office with approval around 57% amid the COVID-19 crisis and hope for normalcy. It declined steadily, hovering in the high 30s to low 40s for much of his term, ending around 37–40% approve / 54–60% disapprove in final Gallup and other polls.[[2]](/statistics/data/joseph-r-biden-public-approval)

End-of-term polls on his legacy were bleak:

Partisan gaps were huge: Democrats more positive (though tepid), Republicans overwhelmingly negative. Factors included inflation pain, immigration, age-related concerns (culminating in his 2024 dropout), and Afghanistan.

Key Achievements

Biden secured major bipartisan and party-line legislation despite narrow margins:

Supporters highlight a strong post-COVID recovery without recession (soft landing on inflation), historic climate/industrial investments, and competence restoring alliances—calling it among the most legislatively productive recent Democratic presidencies.[7]

Major Criticisms and Failures

Critics (across spectrum) argue these overshadowed wins: inflation eroded gains for ordinary people, border chaos and Afghanistan damaged credibility, and leadership style/age left him unable to sell achievements or unify.

Economic Nuance

The economy recovered robustly from COVID depths—faster/stronger than many peers, with tight labor markets boosting lower-end wages and record-low unemployment stretches. Inflation was brought down without a deep recession (rare "soft landing"). However, the cumulative price level increase was painful and politically toxic; housing/childcare/education costs remained high. Comparisons to Trump's pre-COVID years are apples-to-oranges due to the pandemic shock.[10]

Bottom Line

Biden delivered major progressive/climate/infrastructure wins and a solid recovery by many metrics, making him "consequential." Yet public verdict at exit was negative—driven by lived experiences of inflation, border issues, Afghanistan images, and questions of vigor—leading many to rate the presidency average-to-poor. "Good" depends on weighting: legislative output and jobs/climate vs. economic pain for households, security mishaps, and national cohesion. Polarization means Democrats often view it more favorably; Republicans harshly. Future historians may revise upward on long-term investments (chips, green energy, infrastructure) if they pay off, or downward if inflation/debt/immigration effects linger.