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. His single term in office (2021–2025) left a complex legacy.

Supporters view him as a highly consequential leader who passed landmark legislation and steered the nation through a historic post-pandemic recovery. Critics, on the other hand, point to high inflation, border security issues, and global instability as defining failures of his administration.

The Case For: Major Achievements and Successes

Supporters and favorable historians argue that Biden was one of the most productive domestic policymakers in modern presidential history. Their arguments center on the following key areas:

•Major Legislative Victories: Despite holding narrow majorities in Congress, the Biden administration passed several massive, historic pieces of legislation:

•The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: A $1.2 trillion investment in the nation’s roads, bridges, public transit, clean water, and high-speed broadband.

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

•The CHIPS and Science Act: A major push to revitalize domestic manufacturing, particularly by subsidizing the production of semiconductor chips in the United States.

•The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: The first major federal gun safety legislation passed in nearly three decades.

•Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery: Under Biden, the U.S. experienced one of the strongest economic recoveries of any G7 nation. His term saw the creation of over 16 million jobs and historically low unemployment rates, which hovered near 70-year lows.

•Strengthening International Alliances: Biden shifted away from his predecessor's "America First" approach to focus on rebuilding traditional alliances. He successfully united NATO and other international allies to provide robust support to Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion, while also strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific (such as AUKUS and the Quad) to counter China.

•Judicial and Social Progress: He appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, diversified the federal judiciary, and implemented significant student loan forgiveness programs.

The Case Against: Criticisms and Failures

Critics, including political opponents and disappointed voters, argue that Biden’s policy choices weakened the country both domestically and internationally. Their arguments focus on several key issues:

•Inflation and Cost of Living: One of the most persistent issues of Biden’s presidency was inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in 2022 and averaged 5.4% annually across his term. Critics contend that his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021 overstimulated the economy, driving up the cost of groceries, housing, and energy. This cost-of-living crisis severely damaged his public approval ratings.

•Immigration and Border Security: The southern U.S. border faced historic numbers of migrant crossings during Biden's term. Critics blamed his administration for rolling back several strict Trump-era border policies, arguing that the White House failed to secure the border and placed a heavy financial burden on cities handling influxes of migrants.

•Foreign Policy Setbacks:

•The Afghanistan Withdrawal: The August 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan was widely criticized as chaotic, resulting in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and the rapid return of the Taliban to power.

•Global Instability: Critics argue that the outbreak of major wars in Ukraine and the Middle East occurred under Biden's watch due to perceived American weakness. Furthermore, his administration's strong support for Israel during the conflict in Gaza alienated progressive voters at home and drew sharp criticism internationally.

•Age and Political Longevity: Biden’s age and visible physical decline became a central issue of his presidency. Critics argued his administration was not transparent about his cognitive health. Concerns over his ability to serve another four years culminated in a poor debate performance in June 2024, leading to intense pressure from his own party that ultimately forced him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

Summary of Public and Historical Opinion

Joe Biden's overall job approval rating averaged around 39% to 42% in the latter half of his term, reflecting a highly polarized country and deep-seated public frustration over the cost of living.

In 2026, historians often categorize Biden as a highly consequential, legislatively successful, but politically vulnerable president. Ultimately, whether his presidency is viewed as "good" depends heavily on whether one prioritizes his structural legislative achievements and post-pandemic job growth, or the immediate impacts of inflation, border policy challenges, and global instability.

Citations (8)

1port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “His single term in office (2021–2025) left a complex legacy.”
2wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “His single term in office (2021–2025) left a complex legacy.”
3theguardian.comNews and mediaquality 0.75
theguardian.com
Backs: “Supporters view him as a highly consequential leader who passed landmark legislation and steered the nation through a historic post-pandemic recovery. Critics, on the other hand, point to high inflation, border security issues, and global instability as defining failures of his administration.”
4infobase.comNot yet classified
infobase.com
Backs: “Critics, on the other hand, point to high inflation, border security issues, and global instability as defining failures of his administration.”
5house.govGovernment
house.gov
Backs: “The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): The largest federal investment in green energy and climate change initiatives in U.S. history, which also allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and capped insulin costs for seniors. The CHIPS and Science Act: A major push to revitalize domestic manufacturing,…”
6noahpinion.blogBlogs and newsletters
noahpinion.blog
Backs: “The CHIPS and Science Act: A major push to revitalize domestic manufacturing, particularly by subsidizing the production of semiconductor chips in the United States. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: The first major federal gun safety legislation passed in nearly three decades.”
7cfr.orgNonprofits and think tanks
cfr.org
Backs: “He successfully united NATO and other international allies to provide robust support to Ukraine following Russia's 2022 invasion, while also strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific (such as AUKUS and the Quad) to counter China.”
8pbs.orgNews and mediaquality 0.87
pbs.org
Backs: “Critics contend that his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021 overstimulated the economy, driving up the cost of groceries, housing, and energy. This cost-of-living crisis severely damaged his public approval ratings.”