Was Joe Biden a good president?

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president is a subject of significant debate among historians, political analysts, and the American public. Because his single term (2021–2025) concluded relatively recently, evaluations of his legacy remain highly polarized.

While presidential historians have initially ranked him relatively high for his substantial legislative record, public opinion polls at the end of his term showed a majority of Americans viewing his presidency critically, primarily due to economic frustrations.

The primary arguments for and against his presidency shape the ongoing debate over his legacy:

Arguments Supporting His Presidency (The "Good" President Perspective)

Supporters of Joe Biden point to a highly productive legislative agenda and his steering of the country through a period of historic crises. Key achievements include:

•Major Legislative Legacy: Despite working with a razor-thin congressional majority, Biden passed some of the most consequential domestic policy bills in decades. These included:

•The American Rescue Plan: A $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief package.

•The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law): A $1.2 trillion investment in roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and broadband.

•The CHIPS and Science Act: Legislation aimed at boosting domestic semiconductor manufacturing and technological research.

•The Inflation Reduction Act: A landmark bill that represented the largest federal investment in green energy and climate initiatives in U.S. history, while also allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.

•Pandemic Management and Economic Recovery: Biden assumed office during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. His administration oversaw a massive, coordinated vaccine rollout and a rapid economic recovery. Under his watch, the U.S. experienced historically low unemployment rates, rapid job creation, and a faster post-pandemic GDP recovery than most other major global economies.

•Rebuilding Alliances: On the international stage, Biden restored traditional diplomatic alliances that had been strained. He successfully rallied NATO and other global partners to provide unified economic and military support to Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion.

•Judicial Appointments: Biden appointed and secured the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the nation's highest court, alongside dozens of highly diverse federal judges.

Arguments Criticizing His Presidency (The "Unsuccessful" President Perspective)

Critics, including political opponents and dissatisfied voters, point to significant economic pain points, border security issues, and foreign policy setbacks as defining failures of his administration:

•Inflation and Cost of Living: The most persistent political drag on Biden's presidency was inflation, which peaked at over 9% in 2022 and remained elevated for years. Critics argued that massive federal spending bills, like the American Rescue Plan, overstimulated the economy and worsened the cost-of-living crisis. High prices for food, gas, and housing caused deep public dissatisfaction.

•The Border Crisis: The southern U.S. border saw record-breaking surges in migrant crossings during Biden's term. Critics blamed his administration's reversal of several Trump-era immigration policies for fueling the crisis, which strained municipal budgets and social services in cities across the country.

•Foreign Policy Setbacks: The chaotic and deadly U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 damaged Biden’s international standing and domestic approval ratings, from which they never fully recovered. Additionally, critics pointed to the outbreak of major global conflicts—including the war in Ukraine and the Israel–Hamas war—as evidence of a decline in U.S. deterrence.

•Concerns Over Age and Leadership: Concerns regarding Biden's age (he was the oldest sitting president in U.S. history) frequently overshadowed his policy achievements. A highly criticized debate performance in June 2024 ultimately led to intense pressure from within his own party, forcing him to withdraw his bid for re-election in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.

How History and the Public Rate Him

The assessment of Biden's legacy depends heavily on who is being asked:

•Historians: Many academic experts view Biden favorably. In the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey of political scientists and historians, Biden was ranked 14th overall among all U.S. presidents, primarily because of his extensive legislative record, his role in shepherding the country past the pandemic, and his defense of democratic institutions.

•The Public: Conversely, public polls as he left office in January 2025 reflected a deeply divided and generally dissatisfied electorate. Gallup polls showed Biden ending his presidency with an approval rating hovering around 40% (and a disapproval rating near 54%). In final retrospective polls, approximately 54% of Americans predicted history would remember his presidency as "below average" or "poor," similar to other modern single-term presidents.

Conclusion

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president depends on which aspects of his term are prioritized. Those who focus on structural accomplishments—such as rebuilding physical infrastructure, combating climate change, and guiding the country through the end of a historic pandemic—tend to view him as highly successful. Those who focus on immediate, everyday pressures—such as the high cost of living, global instability, and border security—tend to view his presidency as a failure.

Citations (12)

1port.ac.ukAcademic
port.ac.uk
Backs: “While presidential historians have initially ranked him relatively high for his substantial legislative record, public opinion polls at the end of his term showed a majority of Americans viewing his presidency critically, primarily due to economic frustrations.”
2quora.comForums and Q&A
quora.com
Backs: “While presidential historians have initially ranked him relatively high for his substantial legislative record, public opinion polls at the end of his term showed a majority of Americans viewing his presidency critically, primarily due to economic frustrations.”
3gallup.comCompanies
gallup.com
Backs: “While presidential historians have initially ranked him relatively high for his substantial legislative record, public opinion polls at the end of his term showed a majority of Americans viewing his presidency critically, primarily due to economic frustrations.”
4washingtonpost.comNews and mediaquality 0.82
washingtonpost.com
Backs: “Supporters of Joe Biden point to a highly productive legislative agenda and his steering of the country through a period of historic crises. Key achievements include:”
5time.comNews and mediaquality 0.83
time.com
Backs: “The American Rescue Plan: A $1.9 trillion pandemic-relief package. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law): A $1.2 trillion investment in roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and broadband.”
6democratsabroad.orgNonprofits and think tanks
democratsabroad.org
Backs: “The Inflation Reduction Act: A landmark bill that represented the largest federal investment in green energy and climate initiatives in U.S. history, while also allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Pandemic Management and Economic Recovery: Biden assumed office during the peak of the COVID-19…”
7businessinsider.comNews and mediaquality 0.80
businessinsider.com
Backs: “Under his watch, the U.S. experienced historically low unemployment rates, rapid job creation, and a faster post-pandemic GDP recovery than most other major global economies. Rebuilding Alliances: On the international stage, Biden restored traditional diplomatic alliances that had been strained.”
8millercenter.orgAcademic
millercenter.org
Backs: “Rebuilding Alliances: On the international stage, Biden restored traditional diplomatic alliances that had been strained. He successfully rallied NATO and other global partners to provide unified economic and military support to Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion.”
9moderndiplomacy.euNews and media
moderndiplomacy.eu
Backs: “Critics, including political opponents and dissatisfied voters, point to significant economic pain points, border security issues, and foreign policy setbacks as defining failures of his administration: Inflation and Cost of Living: The most persistent political drag on Biden's presidency was inflation, which peaked…”
10fox9.comNot yet classified
fox9.com
Backs: “Concerns Over Age and Leadership: Concerns regarding Biden's age (he was the oldest sitting president in U.S. history) frequently overshadowed his policy achievements. A highly criticized debate performance in June 2024 ultimately led to intense pressure from within his own party, forcing him to withdraw his bid for…”
11wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “A highly criticized debate performance in June 2024 ultimately led to intense pressure from within his own party, forcing him to withdraw his bid for re-election in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. ---. How History and the Public Rate Him”
12gallup.comCompanies
gallup.com
Backs: “Gallup polls showed Biden ending his presidency with an approval rating hovering around 40% (and a disapproval rating near 54%). In final retrospective polls, approximately 54% of Americans predicted history would remember his presidency as "below average" or "poor," similar to other modern single-term presidents.”