Was Joe Biden a good president?

Assessing whether Joe Biden’s presidency (2021–2025) was "good" is a subject of intense debate among historians, political analysts, and the public. Like many modern presidents, his legacy is characterized by stark contradictions: he passed some of the most significant domestic legislation in decades, yet his term was also marked by persistent inflation, foreign policy crises, and low public approval ratings.

To evaluate his presidency, it is helpful to look at both the arguments in favor of his performance and the major criticisms he faced.

The Case For: Major Achievements and Successes

Supporters of Joe Biden argue that he was a highly consequential and productive president who successfully navigated the country through a period of historic crises.

•Major Legislative Accomplishments: Despite a razor-thin and deeply polarized congressional majority, Biden passed a series of landmark, often bipartisan, bills that will shape the U.S. economy and infrastructure for decades:

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

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion bipartisan package aimed at rebuilding roads, bridges, public transit, and expanding clean water and high-speed internet access.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): A law to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.

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

•Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022): The first major federal gun safety legislation passed in nearly 30 years.

•Economic Recovery and Job Growth: Under Biden, the U.S. economy experienced a rapid post-pandemic recovery. Unemployment fell to historic lows (hovering around 3.5% to 4% for much of his term), and the country added over 15 million jobs.

•Rebuilding Alliances: Biden restored traditional foreign alliances, particularly NATO, which had been strained during the Trump administration. He led a coordinated global response to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

•Judicial Diversity: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, and appointed a record number of diverse federal judges.

The Case Against: Major Criticisms and Failures

Critics of the Biden administration, including Republicans and some moderate and progressive Democrats, argue that his policies led to domestic instability and weakened America's standing abroad.

•Inflation and the Cost of Living: Biden’s term was heavily shadowed by high inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in June 2022. Critics—and some moderate economists—blame his large spending bills, particularly the American Rescue Plan, for injecting too much money into the economy and driving up prices for groceries, gas, and housing. Even though inflation eventually cooled, the high cost of living deeply damaged public trust in his economic management.

•Foreign Policy Setbacks:

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The chaotic and deadly U.S. military exit from Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and the rapid return of the Taliban, severely damaged Biden's reputation for competence.

•The Israel-Hamas War (2023–2024): Biden’s steadfast support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza alienated young voters, progressives, and Arab-American communities, who criticized him for not doing more to prevent civilian casualties. At the same time, conservatives criticized him for being too weak on Iran and its proxies.

•Immigration and Border Security: The southern border experienced record numbers of migrant encounters during Biden's presidency. Critics argued his administration was too slow to address the crisis, which strained resources in border states and major metropolitan cities alike.

•Age and Political Legacy: As the oldest president in U.S. history, concerns about Biden’s age and cognitive sharpness persisted throughout his term. His insistence on running for re-election in 2024, followed by a late and forced withdrawal from the race in July 2024, was criticized as political hubris that ultimately paved the way for Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.

Summary of His Legacy

How Joe Biden is viewed largely depends on what criteria a person prioritizes:

•Supporters view him as a highly successful, transformative leader who guided the country through a once-in-a-century pandemic, passed historic legislation to rebuild American manufacturing and fight climate change, and preserved democratic norms.

•Critics view him as an ineffective president whose domestic policies triggered painful inflation, whose foreign policy was marked by global instability, and whose political missteps led to the defeat of his party in 2024.

Historically, presidencies that end with low approval ratings (Biden left office with approval hovering around 40%) often take decades to be fully and objectively evaluated by historians.

Citations (5)

1washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
washingtonpost.com
Backs: “Assessing whether Joe Biden’s presidency (2021–2025) was "good" is a subject of intense debate among historians, political analysts, and the public. Like many modern presidents, his legacy is characterized by stark contradictions: he passed some of the most significant domestic legislation in decades, yet his term was…”
2cfr.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cfr.org
Backs: “Supporters of Joe Biden argue that he was a highly consequential and productive president who successfully navigated the country through a period of historic crises. Major Legislative Accomplishments: Despite a razor-thin and deeply polarized congressional majority, Biden passed a series of landmark, often bipartisan,…”
3port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “He led a coordinated global response to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Judicial Diversity: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, and appointed a record number of diverse federal judges.”
4millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Judicial Diversity: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, and appointed a record number of diverse federal judges.”
5unimelb.edu.auAcademic
unimelb.edu.au
Backs: “How Joe Biden is viewed largely depends on what criteria a person prioritizes: Supporters view him as a highly successful, transformative leader who guided the country through a once-in-a-century pandemic, passed historic legislation to rebuild American manufacturing and fight climate change, and preserved democratic…”