Was Joe Biden a good president?

Was Joe Biden's presidency judged a success? I'll weigh his record — from legislation to polling and historians' rankings.

Whether Joe Biden was a "good" president depends on what criteria are used, and public and expert assessments are mixed and often divided along partisan lines.

Overview

Most evaluations describe his presidency (2021-2025) as a complex legacy with significant legislative achievements and persistent challenges, rather than at the extremes. His tenure is described as characterized by significant achievements, persistent challenges, and polarizing debates.

Frequently Cited Achievements

Supporters and historians point to major legislation passed with narrow or bipartisan majorities:

•Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - described as a once-in-a-generation $1.2 trillion investment in bridges, roads, airports, public transit and broadband. His tenure included notable legislative successes, such as the CHIPS and Science Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

•CHIPS and Science Act - invested hundreds of billions in semiconductor manufacturing and technological research.

•Inflation Reduction Act - described as a monumental investment in climate action that injected nearly $500 billion into electric vehicle adoption, renewable energy projects, home efficiency, and sustainable agriculture. Other estimates put its cost at $800 billion over 10 years.

•American Rescue Plan - a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package enacted in March 2021. Together, the American Rescue Plan ($1.9T), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ($1.2T), CHIPS Act ($52B), and Inflation Reduction Act ($369B climate) represented more than $3 trillion in legislative investment.

•Other achievements frequently cited include the PACT Act for veterans, Medicare drug-price negotiation authorities, and capping insulin prices.

On the economy, the administration pointed to:

•More than 16 million jobs created during his term

•Real gross domestic product growth of 2.8% in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

On foreign policy, his handling of the war in Ukraine was described as pivotal in uniting the West against Russian aggression, with his administration rallying NATO allies, imposing sanctions on Russia, and providing billions in military aid.

Frequently Cited Criticisms and Challenges

Critics focus on:

1. Inflation and Debt: The Consumer Price Index increased by nearly 20% during his presidency, outpacing wage growth. Another measurement found CPI rose 21.3% between December 2020 and December 2024 with an annualized rate near 5.3%. Inflation peaked at 9.1 percent. Critics place heavy blame on early spending packages like the American Rescue Plan for fueling the surge. Under Biden, the U.S. national debt soared to $34.73 trillion—an increase of $6.97 trillion since he took office.

2. Afghanistan: The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 became one of the most scrutinized events of his presidency. Biden's Afghanistan exit killed 13 U.S. service members.

3. Immigration: Promising a more humane system, Biden faced record-high unauthorized border crossings during his first three years. The border numbers were high for years, and the fix came late.

4. Age and Political Standing: At 81, his age and cognitive acuity were persistent topics of public debate.

Public Approval

Public approval was low by historical standards:

•The historical average approval rating across all presidents is ~53%

•Joe Biden averaged 42% over 2021-2025

•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

•His lowest mark was 36% in July 2024

•His final job approval rating from a Jan 2025 Gallup poll was 40%

Historian Rankings

Academic assessments have been more favorable than public polling, though rankings vary by survey methodology:

•In the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project, he ranked 14th, described as middle-to-high among modern presidents

•In that survey he received a score of 62.88, which is above average, and places him in the top third of all presidents

Other commentaries and partisan rankings place him much lower, illustrating that historical judgment remains unsettled and often depends on the ideology of the raters.

In short, supporters view Biden as a consequential legislative president who steered recovery from the pandemic and invested in infrastructure and climate, while critics view his presidency as marked by high inflation, border challenges, and foreign policy missteps.

Citations (1)

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Joe Biden: A Presidency Marked by Challenges and Achievements
Backs: “Most evaluations describe his presidency (2021-2025) as a complex legacy with significant legislative achievements and persistent challenges, rather than at the extremes.”