A recent Gallup poll reveals that a majority of Americans expect President Joe Biden’s presidency to be remembered unfavorably. The survey, conducted in December 2024, shows that 54% of U.S. adults believe Biden will go down in history as either a “below average” (37%) or “poor” (17%) president.
Only 19% of respondents think Biden’s presidency will be viewed positively, with 6% rating it as “outstanding” and 13% as “above average.” And 26% of Americans predict Biden will be remembered as an “average” president.
Biden’s net positive rating stands at -35 percentage points, placing him second-to-last among the 10 recent presidents surveyed.
Some would assert Biden and his administration did a poor job of conveying his wins while in office. Trump, on the other hand – while in office – constantly raved about accomplishments that didn’t exist. The public, for the most part, is woefully uninformed.
Unfortunately, Biden’s ratings are notably low when compared to other recent presidents. Only Richard Nixon, with a net rating of -42, fared worse than Biden in the poll. John F. Kennedy received the highest net positive rating at +68 percentage points while Ronald Reagan (+38) and Barack Obama (+21) also had positive ratings.
The poll reveals a significant partisan split in perceptions of Biden’s presidency. Among Democrats, 44% expect a positive historical judgment, while 16% anticipate a negative one. 51% of independents predict a negative historical review for Biden, compared to 15% expecting a positive one. And an overwhelming portion of Republicans, 93%, expect history to judge Biden harshly, with 76% saying he will be regarded as a “poor” president.
In addition to underselling his accomplishments, several factors may have contributed to these low ratings:
– Economic concerns, including inflation and negative economic sentiment.
– Foreign policy issues, such as the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
– Allegations of influence peddling involving Biden’s family members.
– Immigration and border security challenges.
It’s worth noting that public perceptions of presidents often change over time. Gallup points out that presidents who serve challenging terms, like Biden, typically see their approval ratings improve in the years after leaving office.
President Joe Biden has achieved numerous significant accomplishments during his time in office, spanning various areas of policy and governance.He passed the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, investing in roads, bridges, railways, airports, and broadband internet. He also signed the CHIPS and Science Act, allocating funds to boost domestic semiconductor production. In addition, the 46th President implemented the Inflation Reduction Act, making a $369 billion investment in climate change initiatives.
Perhaps most importantly, he created a record 6.6 million jobs in one year, more than any other president in U.S. history.
Biden also expanded access to affordable healthcare, with over 16 million Americans signing up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act, and allowed Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, potentially lowering prescription costs for seniors. He also capped prescription drug prices at $2,000 per year for seniors on Medicare.
For the climate and environment, he rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change and made the largest investment in American history in climate change initiatives through the Inflation Reduction Act. He also accelerated the adoption of electric vehicles.
Biden has worked towards promoting equality and social justice. He appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, signed legislation protecting marriage for same-sex and interracial couples, reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, and initiated a review of federal marijuana laws and pardoned federal offenses of simple marijuana possession.
In the realm of foreign policy and national security, Biden has strengthened the NATO alliance in support of Ukraine after the Russian invasion, imposed economic sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, ended the war in Afghanistan, withdrawing U.S. troops, and authorized the operation that led to the death of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Biden has taken steps to address education and student debt issues by providing $10,000 to $20,000 in college debt relief to Americans with loans who make under $125,000 a year. And he invested in education initiatives through various legislative acts.
These accomplishments represent a broad range of policy initiatives and legislative actions that have shaped Biden’s presidency. While some of these achievements have been widely recognized, others have received less public attention despite their potential long-term impact on American society and the economy.