Assessing whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subjective question with no single consensus. Like most modern presidencies, his term (January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025) is viewed differently depending on one's political perspective, economic priorities, and foreign policy views.
To evaluate his presidency, historians and the public generally weigh a distinct set of major accomplishments against significant challenges and criticisms.
Arguments in Favor of His Presidency
Supporters of Joe Biden point to a highly productive legislative record, economic recovery efforts, and a return to traditional foreign policy alliances.
•Significant Legislative Achievements: Biden signed several major pieces of legislation, some with bipartisan support, that are viewed as generational investments in the U.S. economy:
•The American Rescue Plan (2021): A $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package aimed at stimulating the economy and funding vaccine distribution.
•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A historic, bipartisan $1.2 trillion investment in roads, bridges, public transit, clean water, and high-speed internet.
•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.
•The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): Landmark legislation that allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, capped insulin costs for seniors, and represented the largest federal investment in climate change and green energy in U.S. history.
•Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery: Under Biden’s watch, the U.S. economy experienced rapid job growth, with unemployment rates dropping to historic lows (around 3.5%) and GDP growth outperforming many other developed nations recovering from the pandemic.
•Rebuilding Alliances: In foreign policy, Biden moved to restore traditional international partnerships. He recommitted the U.S. to the Paris Climate Agreement, strengthened NATO, and successfully organized a coalition of Western allies to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion.
•Judicial Appointments: He appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, alongside a record number of diverse federal judges.
Arguments Criticizing His Presidency
Critics of Joe Biden point to high inflation, persistent challenges at the southern border, foreign policy crises, and concerns over his leadership.
•Inflation and Cost of Living: The defining domestic issue of the Biden presidency was inflation, which reached a 40-year high in 2022. Critics, particularly Republicans, argued that his massive stimulus spending—such as the American Rescue Plan—injected too much money into the economy and triggered the spike in the cost of goods, rent, and groceries, severely straining household budgets.
•Foreign Policy Setbacks:
•The Afghanistan Withdrawal (2021): The chaotic pullout of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which led to the rapid return of the Taliban and the deaths of 13 U.S. service members at the Kabul airport, was heavily criticized across the political spectrum.
•Global Instability: Critics argued that his foreign policy lacked strong deterrence, pointing to the outbreak of major conflicts during his term, including the war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
•Immigration and Border Security: Biden’s administration struggled to manage unprecedented surges of migrants at the U.S.–Mexico border. Critics from the right accused him of being too lenient and failing to secure the border, while some immigration advocates on the left criticized him when his administration later implemented strict asylum restrictions to curb the influx.
•Age and Political Leadership: As the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, Biden’s age and physical stamina were constant points of debate. Critics and even some allies questioned his capacity to serve another term. His decision to remain in the 2024 presidential race until July 2024 was criticized by some Democrats as leaving his party too little time to run a successful campaign, ultimately paving the way for Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.
Conclusion
Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president depends largely on which issues are prioritized:
•Those who prioritize long-term domestic investment, climate action, and democratic norms tend to view him as an effective leader who successfully guided the country through the tail-end of a global pandemic.
•Those who prioritize price stability, border control, and international strength tend to view his presidency as a period of economic hardship and global instability.
Ultimately, his legacy will continue to be debated by historians as the long-term effects of his legislative investments and foreign policy decisions unfold over the coming decades.