Was Joe Biden a good president?

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of significant debate. Because his presidency (2021–2025) concluded relatively recently, historians, political analysts, and the public remain highly divided on his legacy.

Assessments of his presidency generally depend on how one weighs his major legislative accomplishments against issues like inflation, foreign policy crises, and the southern border. Below is an overview of the primary arguments made by both his supporters and his critics.

Arguments That Joe Biden Was a Good President

Supporters argue that Biden was a highly consequential president who guided the country through a period of historic crisis and passed some of the most significant domestic legislation in decades.

•Major Legislative Legacy: Proponents point to an array of landmark, historic laws passed during his term. These include:

•The American Rescue Plan (2021): A massive COVID-19 relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct payments to families.

•The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion investment in rebuilding America's roads, bridges, public transit, and clean water systems.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Billions of dollars in investments to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States.

•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.

•Economic Recovery and Job Growth: Supporters highlight that the U.S. experienced the strongest post-pandemic economic recovery of any G7 nation. Under his watch, the economy added over 15 million jobs, and unemployment rates fell to historic, 70-year lows.

•Restoring Alliances: Globally, Biden's supporters credit him with rebuilding traditional international coalitions (particularly NATO) that had been strained. They praise his leadership in uniting Western allies to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion.

•A "Normalizing" Presence: Many supporters valued Biden’s calmer, more institutional approach to governance after the highly polarized and volatile political climate of the previous administration. They also praised his decision to step aside from the 2024 presidential race to allow a younger generation of leadership to run.

Arguments That Joe Biden Was a Poor President

Critics argue that Biden’s policies weakened the nation both domestically and globally, pointing to severe inflation, border security issues, and international instability.

•Inflation and the Cost of Living: Opponents argue that Biden's economic policies—specifically massive government spending like the American Rescue Plan—triggered a surge in inflation. During his term, inflation reached a 40-year high of over 9%, leading to dramatically higher costs for groceries, gas, rent, and mortgages. The Federal Reserve responded by aggressively raising interest rates, which critics say made the "American Dream" of homeownership unattainable for many.

•Border and Immigration: Critics heavily fault Biden’s handling of the U.S. southern border. Migrant encounters reached record-high numbers during his term, straining resources in border towns and major cities alike. Opponents argue his early executive actions reversing Trump-era border policies incentivized the crisis.

•Foreign Policy Challenges: Opponents point to major global failures under his watch:

•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 his public approval ratings.

•Global Instability: Critics argue that perceived weakness from the Biden administration failed to deter adversaries, pointing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the outbreak of devastating conflict in the Middle East.

•Cognitive Concerns and Political Legacy: Critics point to a perceived lack of transparency regarding Biden’s age and cognitive capabilities, a debate that culminated in his poor debate performance in June 2024 and his eventual withdrawal from the campaign. Opponents argue that his primary goal in 2020 was to permanently defeat Donald Trump, yet his presidency ultimately concluded with Trump winning the presidency again in 2024.

Conclusion

Whether Joe Biden is viewed as a good president depends largely on political priorities. To those who value a robust, active government that invests heavily in infrastructure, climate policy, and social safety nets, his legislative achievements make him one of the most productive modern presidents. To those who prioritize low inflation, strict border security, and strong global deterrence, his presidency is viewed as a time of economic hardship and international instability.

Citations (13)

1infobase.comNot yet classified
infobase.com
Backs: “Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of significant debate.”
2worldmapper.orgNot yet classified
worldmapper.org
Backs: “Because his presidency (2021–2025) concluded relatively recently, historians, political analysts, and the public remain highly divided on his legacy.”
3ballotpedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.89
ballotpedia.org
Backs: “Because his presidency (2021–2025) concluded relatively recently, historians, political analysts, and the public remain highly divided on his legacy.”
4medium.comBlogs and newsletters
medium.com
Backs: “Because his presidency (2021–2025) concluded relatively recently, historians, political analysts, and the public remain highly divided on his legacy.”
5heritage.orgNonprofits and think tanks
heritage.org
Backs: “Assessments of his presidency generally depend on how one weighs his major legislative accomplishments against issues like inflation, foreign policy crises, and the southern border. Below is an overview of the primary arguments made by both his supporters and his critics.”
6senate.govGovernment
senate.gov
Backs: “These include: The American Rescue Plan (2021): A massive COVID-19 relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct payments to families. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion investment in rebuilding America's roads, bridges, public transit, and clean water systems.”
7nrdems.orgNot yet classified
nrdems.org
Backs: “These include: The American Rescue Plan (2021): A massive COVID-19 relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct payments to families. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion investment in rebuilding America's roads, bridges, public transit, and clean water systems.”
8ucsb.eduAcademic
ucsb.edu
Backs: “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (2021): A historic $1.2 trillion investment in rebuilding America's roads, bridges, public transit, and clean water systems. The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Billions of dollars in investments to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States.”
9miamidadedems.orgNot yet classified
miamidadedems.org
Backs: “The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): Billions of dollars in investments to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States. The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in climate change mitigation in U.S.”
10wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Economic Recovery and Job Growth: Supporters highlight that the U.S. experienced the strongest post-pandemic economic recovery of any G7 nation. Under his watch, the economy added over 15 million jobs, and unemployment rates fell to historic, 70-year lows.”
11cfr.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cfr.org
Backs: “Restoring Alliances: Globally, Biden's supporters credit him with rebuilding traditional international coalitions (particularly NATO) that had been strained. They praise his leadership in uniting Western allies to support Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion.”
12house.govGovernment
house.gov
Backs: “During his term, inflation reached a 40-year high of over 9%, leading to dramatically higher costs for groceries, gas, rent, and mortgages. The Federal Reserve responded by aggressively raising interest rates, which critics say made the "American Dream" of homeownership unattainable for many.”
13270towin.comData and tools
270towin.com
Backs: “Cognitive Concerns and Political Legacy: Critics point to a perceived lack of transparency regarding Biden’s age and cognitive capabilities, a debate that culminated in his poor debate performance in June 2024 and his eventual withdrawal from the campaign. Opponents argue that his primary goal in 2020 was to…”