Was Joe Biden a good president?

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of ongoing debate among historians, political analysts, and the public. Evaluators often weigh his major legislative achievements and post-pandemic economic recovery against the persistent inflation, immigration challenges, and foreign policy crises that defined his term from 2021 to 2025.

A comprehensive look at his presidency highlights the key arguments from both his supporters and his critics.

The Case for a Successful Presidency (The Achievements)

Supporters and many presidential historians argue that Biden’s administration was highly consequential, particularly given the narrow congressional majorities he worked with. Key arguments in his favor include:

•Significant Legislative Legacy: Biden signed several historic, bipartisan, and major party-line bills into law:

•The American Rescue Plan (2021): A $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct financial aid to Americans.

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A bipartisan $1.2 trillion investment in the nation’s roads, bridges, public transit, clean water, and broadband.

•The CHIPS and Science Act (2022): A bipartisan bill aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and scientific research.

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

•Strong Economic Recovery: Under his watch, the U.S. experienced the strongest post-pandemic economic recovery of any G7 nation. His term saw the creation of over 16 million jobs and a historic stretch of unemployment remaining below 4%.

•Strengthening Global Alliances: Following the "America First" foreign policy of the previous administration, Biden focused on rebuilding traditional alliances. He successfully rallied and expanded NATO in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, positioning the U.S. as a leader of the democratic coalition.

•Judicial and Social Milestones: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice, alongside more than 200 other diverse federal judges. He also signed the Respect for Marriage Act, codifying federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.

•Historical Rankings: In early surveys of political scientists and presidential scholars (such as the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project), Biden was ranked 14th overall out of all U.S. presidents, placing him in the top third historically.

The Case against a Successful Presidency (The Criticisms)

Critics, including political opponents and dissatisfied voters, point to several persistent crises and policy outcomes as evidence of a weak or failing presidency:

•Inflation and Cost of Living: Although job growth was strong, Biden's term was plagued by a global surge in inflation that peaked at 9.1% in 2022. Critics argue that the massive infusion of government spending from the American Rescue Plan overstimulated the economy and exacerbated this inflation. The resulting high cost of groceries, housing, and fuel deeply damaged public sentiment and overshadowed other economic gains.

•Southern Border and Immigration: The southern border saw record numbers of migrant encounters and crossings during Biden's presidency. Critics from the right blamed his reversal of several Trump-era border policies for creating a humanitarian and security crisis. Meanwhile, some progressives criticized his later, more restrictive executive actions on asylum as being overly harsh.

•Foreign Policy Crises:

•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 to power, severely damaged his approval ratings and U.S. prestige abroad.

•Global Instability: Critics argue that the Biden administration failed to deter adversaries, pointing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war. Furthermore, his handling of the war in Gaza alienated progressives (who opposed military aid to Israel) and frustrated conservatives (who argued he did not support Israel strongly enough).

•Age and the 2024 Campaign: Biden’s age (he was 81 by the end of his term) was a constant source of public concern. Following a highly criticized debate performance in June 2024, pressure from his own party forced him to withdraw from the presidential race in July 2024. Critics argue that his insistence on running for re-election for so long left his party with a condensed timeline, ultimately contributing to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.

Conclusion

Whether Joe Biden was a good president depends largely on what a voter or historian prioritizes. Those who focus on legislative productivity, institutional stability, and alliances view him as a highly successful, transformative leader who accomplished more with a divided Congress than almost any other modern president.

Conversely, those who prioritize daily cost of living, border security, and global stability see his term as a period of economic strain and global unrest, culminating in a political environment that ultimately rejected his party's platform in the 2024 election.

Citations (10)

1worldmapper.orgNot yet classified
worldmapper.org
Backs: “Evaluators often weigh his major legislative achievements and post-pandemic economic recovery against the persistent inflation, immigration challenges, and foreign policy crises that defined his term from 2021 to 2025.”
2millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Evaluators often weigh his major legislative achievements and post-pandemic economic recovery against the persistent inflation, immigration challenges, and foreign policy crises that defined his term from 2021 to 2025.”
3cfr.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cfr.org
Backs: “Supporters and many presidential historians argue that Biden’s administration was highly consequential, particularly given the narrow congressional majorities he worked with. Key arguments in his favor include:”
4port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “Significant Legislative Legacy: Biden signed several historic, bipartisan, and major party-line bills into law: The American Rescue Plan (2021): A $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that funded vaccine distribution and provided direct financial aid to Americans. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021): A…”
5youtube.comSocial media and video
youtube.com
Backs: “The Inflation Reduction Act (2022): The largest federal investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history, which also allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and capped insulin costs for seniors. Strong Economic Recovery: Under his watch, the U.S.”
6wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Strong Economic Recovery: Under his watch, the U.S. experienced the strongest post-pandemic economic recovery of any G7 nation. His term saw the creation of over 16 million jobs and a historic stretch of unemployment remaining below 4%.”
7infobase.comNot yet classified
infobase.com
Backs: “Strengthening Global Alliances: Following the "America First" foreign policy of the previous administration, Biden focused on rebuilding traditional alliances. He successfully rallied and expanded NATO in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, positioning the U.S.”
8study.comNot yet classified
study.com
Backs: “Judicial and Social Milestones: Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice, alongside more than 200 other diverse federal judges. He also signed the Respect for Marriage Act, codifying federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.”
9uh.eduAcademic
uh.edu
Backs: “Historical Rankings: In early surveys of political scientists and presidential scholars (such as the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project), Biden was ranked 14th overall out of all U.S. presidents, placing him in the top third historically.”
10270towin.comData and tools
270towin.com
Backs: “Following a highly criticized debate performance in June 2024, pressure from his own party forced him to withdraw from the presidential race in July 2024. Critics argue that his insistence on running for re-election for so long left his party with a condensed timeline, ultimately contributing to Donald Trump’s victory…”