Americans are speaking out.
A recent Gallup poll shows that more than half of Americans believe President Joe Biden’s administration will be remembered negatively, with 54% of respondents predicting his presidency will be seen as “below average” or “poor.” Of those, 37% thought it would be regarded as “below average” and 17% as “poor.” In contrast, 26% of Americans believed Biden’s presidency would be viewed as “average,” 13% as “above average,” and only 6% saw it as “outstanding.”
When comparing Biden to nine recent U.S. presidents, Gallup found that his ratings most closely resemble those of Richard Nixon. Biden received more “poor” ratings than Nixon, but also garnered more “outstanding” or “above average” scores. Gallup noted that past presidents, such as George W. Bush and Donald Trump, also had negative evaluations, with Trump receiving a high number of “poor” ratings similar to Nixon’s.
The Gallup report was based on a survey conducted from December 2 to December 18, 2024, involving a random sample of 1,003 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of ±4 percentage points. Among the ten presidents ranked, John F. Kennedy received the highest favorability, with 70% of respondents rating his presidency as “outstanding” or “above average.” Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama followed with 54% and 48%, respectively.
Biden, who was elected in 2020 and became the oldest person ever to serve as president at 78, faced significant criticism during his time in office. His policies on issues such as abortion rights, LGBT advocacy, and the withdrawal from Afghanistan drew sharp reactions. Additionally, his administration struggled with the handling of illegal immigration and rising inflation.
As questions about Biden’s fitness for a second term grew, especially after a poor debate performance against Donald Trump, Biden announced in a statement that he would focus on his duties as president rather than continue his reelection campaign. He later supported Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor, although Harris lost to Trump in the 2024 election. Democratic strategist James Carville recently criticized Biden’s decision to run for reelection, calling it a self-inflicted mistake that had damaged his political legacy.
