Was Biden's presidency a success? I'll gather a balanced look at his record — from achievements to critiques.
Was Joe Biden a good president is a subjective question, and evaluations differ depending on political perspective, what criteria are prioritized, and whether short-term crises or long-term legislation are weighted more heavily.
The record combines substantive policy accomplishments with significant political liabilities and crises.
What supporters point to as accomplishments
Supporters highlight major legislation passed with narrow congressional majorities:
•American Rescue Plan ($1.9T COVID relief), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ($1.2T), CHIPS Act ($52B semiconductor investment), and the Inflation Reduction Act ($369B climate — the largest climate legislation in US history)
•Other cited accomplishments include halving child poverty through stimulus, record jobs (16M+), low unemployment; the PACT Act for veteran care, appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Ukraine aid and NATO strengthening, and gun safety legislation
The Inflation Reduction Act included clean energy tax credits and a policy allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, including capping insulin prices at $35 for seniors.
Despite holding the narrowest partisan margins in Congress, he secured major pieces of legislation that advanced overlapping goals.
What critics point to
Critics point to:
•9.1% inflation, historically high border encounters, the Afghanistan collapse and an enormous increase in federal debt
•For millions of Americans, the Biden years became associated with rapid inflation, historically heavy migration at the southern border, a traumatic withdrawal from Afghanistan and growing questions about presidential age and transparency
Inflation peaking at 9.1% and the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal were the primary drags on his approval throughout his term. Other focal points of criticism included handling of justice-related issues and perceived gridlock in Congress.
Public Opinion Polling
Public evaluations were consistently low by historical standards:
•Across multi-year aggregates, Gallup reported that Biden averaged 42.2% job approval across his four years, placing him as the second-lowest average in Gallup's post-World War II history, and his 13th-quarter average of 38.7% ranked near the bottom of presidential quarters historically (277th of 314)
•His highest approval was 63% in mid-2021, with a low of 31% in the summer of 2022
•One late-term AP/NORC poll found a mere quarter of Americans consider Biden to be a "good" or "great president," falling significantly short compared to Trump's 36% and Obama's 52% at the end of their respective first terms
How Historians Rank Him
Historians have rated him more favorably than the public did:
•The Siena College Research Institute's 2022 survey ranked Biden 19th out of 45 presidents
•The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert survey ranked Biden 14th, a survey of 154 experts in presidential politics
•A February 2024 American Political Science Association poll of historians and scholars also ranked Biden the 14th-greatest president, diverging from public assessments
Historians noted his ranking was unusually high for a presidency without military victories, highlighting his role in restoring a more traditional style of presidential leadership.
Bottom Line
Whether Biden is considered a "good" president tends to depend on what is emphasized:
•If viewed through legislative output, investments in infrastructure, climate, semiconductors, and expansion of health and veterans benefits, supporters rate him as consequential and effective.
•If viewed through cost-of-living concerns, the Afghanistan withdrawal, border management, and concerns about age and leadership during crises, critics rate him poorly.
Many neutral assessments describe it as a mixed, consequential presidency where durable legislative changes coexist with immediate crises and political consequences.