Joe Biden full name, date of birth, age, place of birth, citizenship, origin, occupation, spouse, net worth.

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., born on November 20, 1942, is an American statesman who served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 until 2025.A member of the Democratic Party, he was also the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and previously served as a U.S. Senator for Delaware from 1973 to 2009.

Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware in 1965, followed by a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968.

He began his political journey in 1970 on the New Castle County Council, later securing a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1972. During his Senate tenure, Biden chaired both the Judiciary Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.

He played a central role in crafting major legislation, such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the Violence Against Women Act.

He also led six Supreme Court confirmation hearings, including the notable ones for Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. While he opposed the 1991 Gulf War, he supported the 2002 Iraq War Resolution.

His presidential bids in 1988 and 2008 were unsuccessful, but in 2008, he was selected by Barack Obama as his running mate, ultimately serving as a close advisor throughout Obama’s presidency.

In the 2020 presidential race, Biden chose Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential candidate. Together, they defeated the Republican incumbents, Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

During his presidency, Biden enacted the American Rescue Plan Act to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic aftermath. His administration passed bipartisan legislation addressing infrastructure and manufacturing.

While his Build Back Better Act faced hurdles, several of its provisions were included in the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in 2022. He also appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

In foreign affairs, Biden steered the U.S. back into the Paris Climate Agreement, and under his watch, American troops fully withdrew from Afghanistan, ending the two-decade-long war but leading to the Taliban’s return to power.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden’s administration sanctioned Russia and provided Ukraine with military and financial assistance. During the Gaza conflict, he labeled Hamas’s attacks as terrorism, voiced strong support for Israel, and offered limited humanitarian aid to Gaza. A ceasefire he supported was enacted shortly before his term concluded.

Throughout his presidency, concerns regarding his age and health remained prevalent. Biden made history as the first U.S. president to celebrate his 80th birthday while in office.

Although he began his term with high approval ratings, these declined sharply, largely due to rising inflation, which peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 but receded to 2.9% by the end of his tenure.

Initially seeking a second term and securing the Democratic nomination after the primaries, Biden later withdrew from the 2024 race following a widely criticized debate performance that reignited doubts about his mental acuity.

Despite public skepticism, historians and scholars gave his administration relatively positive evaluations in 2022 and 2024. Biden is notably the only U.S. president from the Silent Generation and remains the oldest living former president.

Early Life

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was the first child of Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Biden (née Finnegan) and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr.

Raised in a Catholic household, Biden came from a family primarily of Irish heritage. He grew up alongside his sister, Valerie, and two brothers, James and Francis.

Family Background and Home Life

Biden’s father, Joseph Sr., once enjoyed financial success, enabling the family to purchase a home in Garden City, Long Island, New York in 1946.

However, a series of business challenges when Joe was about seven years old drastically changed their circumstances. During this difficult period, the Bidens moved back to Scranton, living with Jean’s parents for several years.

By the early 1950s, Scranton’s economy had sharply declined, making it hard for Joseph Sr. to secure stable employment. In 1953, when Joe Biden was ten, the family relocated to Claymont, Delaware, where they lived in an apartment before eventually settling in a house in nearby Mayfield. Over time, Joseph Sr. rebuilt his career as a successful used-car salesman, allowing the family to enjoy a comfortable middle-class lifestyle.

Sports, Education, and Young Adulthood

Biden attended Archmere Academy in Claymont, where he developed a strong interest in athletics. He played baseball and stood out on the school’s football team as a skilled halfback and wide receiver.

Despite struggling academically, Biden was well-liked by his peers, earning the position of class president in both his junior and senior years. He graduated from Archmere in 1961.

Continuing his education at the University of Delaware in Newark, Biden briefly played freshman football. He eventually shifted his focus more toward academics, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science, having completed a double major. These formative years laid the foundation for the political career he would later pursue.

Marriages, Law School, and Early Career

On August 27, 1966, Joe Biden married Neilia Hunter, a student at Syracuse University. The couple wed in a Catholic ceremony in Skaneateles, New York, after Biden won over Neilia’s parents, who were initially hesitant about her marrying a Catholic. Together, they had three children: Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III, Robert Hunter Biden, and Naomi Christina “Amy” Biden.

Biden attended Syracuse University College of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 1968. His academic journey was not without setbacks—during his first year, he failed a course after being accused of plagiarizing a law review article.

The incident was later resolved, and the failing grade was removed from his record. Still, Biden’s overall academic performance was below average, graduating 76th out of a class of 85. In 1969, he was admitted to the Delaware bar, officially beginning his legal career.

His professional path started in 1968 when he clerked for a Wilmington law firm led by William Prickett, a prominent Republican attorney. At that time, Biden even identified himself politically as a Republican.

His political leanings were shaped in part by his disapproval of Delaware Governor Charles L. Terry, a Democrat whose conservative racial policies did not align with Biden’s views. Instead, he supported Russell W. Peterson, a more liberal Republican candidate who went on to defeat Terry in the 1968 election.

Despite encouragement from local Republican leaders to join their party, Biden ultimately registered as an independent. His decision was influenced by a strong dislike for Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon, whose political style and policies he opposed. This early period of Biden’s life reflected his willingness to cross political lines based on issues and principles rather than party loyalty.

Law practices

In 1969, Joe Biden began his legal career, initially working as a public defender before joining a law firm led by a prominent local Democrat. The firm’s leader recognized Biden’s potential and appointed him to the Democratic Forum, an organization dedicated to reforming and revitalizing Delaware’s Democratic Party. This involvement eventually led Biden to officially switch his political registration from independent to Democrat.

Biden later partnered with another attorney to establish their own law firm. However, he found that corporate law lacked personal fulfillment, while criminal law, though engaging, did not provide a substantial income. To supplement his earnings, Biden turned to managing rental properties, which gave him additional financial stability during his early career.

In 1970, Biden entered local politics by running for the fourth district seat on the New Castle County Council. His campaign reflected a progressive platform, notably advocating for public housing developments in suburban areas—a stance that was bold for the time.

Biden won the general election, defeating Republican Lawrence T. Messick, and officially assumed office on January 5, 1971. He served in this role until January 1, 1973.

During his tenure, Biden became known for opposing large-scale highway construction projects, arguing that such developments risked displacing and fragmenting established Wilmington neighborhoods.

His position highlighted his early commitment to community preservation and urban planning that prioritized residents over infrastructure expansion.

Biden’s stance on the Vietnam War evolved during this period. While he had not taken a clear position earlier in his career, he openly criticized President Richard Nixon’s handling of the war during his later U.S. Senate campaign.

During his college years at the University of Delaware and Syracuse University, Biden received five student draft deferments. In 1968, a medical examination resulted in a conditional medical deferment. According to a spokesperson in 2008, this deferment was due to Biden having experienced asthma during his teenage years.

1972 U.S. Senate Campaign in Delaware

In 1972, Joe Biden achieved a surprising political victory by defeating Republican incumbent J. Caleb Boggs to become Delaware’s junior U.S. senator. At the time, Biden was the only Democrat willing to challenge Boggs, and with limited campaign funds, many saw his candidacy as a long shot.

The campaign was a family effort—Biden’s relatives managed operations, staffed events, and engaged voters directly. The team adopted a grassroots approach, relying on personal interactions, door-to-door visits, and hand-delivered position papers.

Delaware’s small geographic size made such an intimate strategy possible. Biden also gained crucial support from the AFL-CIO labor union and received strategic guidance from Democratic pollster Patrick Caddell.

Biden’s campaign platform addressed pressing issues of the era, including environmental protection, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam, civil rights, expansion of mass transit, fair taxation, health care access, and the growing public frustration with politics as usual.

Initially, Biden trailed Boggs by nearly 30 percentage points in the polls. However, his youthful energy, approachable demeanor, and the image of his young family helped him forge emotional connections with voters. This momentum led to a narrow but decisive win, with Biden securing 50.5% of the vote, making him one of the youngest people ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

Death of First Wife and Daughter

Just weeks after his Senate victory, tragedy struck. On December 18, 1972, Biden’s wife Neilia and their one-year-old daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident in Hockessin, Delaware. His sons, Beau (age 3) and Hunter (age 2), were also in the vehicle but survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

The devastating loss left Biden deeply shaken. He considered resigning from the Senate to focus entirely on raising his two surviving children. However, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield convinced him to continue serving.

Biden later revealed that he struggled with intense grief, anger, and religious doubt during this period, at times even contemplating suicide. He wrote that he felt as though “God had played a horrible trick” on him and found it difficult to concentrate on his work. This experience would profoundly shape his approach to public service, giving him a deep sense of empathy for families facing loss and hardship.

Second Marriage

In 1975, Joe Biden was introduced to Jill Tracy Jacobs, a schoolteacher, on a blind date. Their connection grew quickly, and on June 17, 1977, they were married in a private ceremony at the United Nations Chapel in New York City.

The couple celebrated their honeymoon at Lake Balaton in what was then the Hungarian People’s Republic. Biden has often expressed that Jill’s presence in his life rekindled his passion for politics and gave him renewed purpose after the devastating loss of his first wife and daughter.

In 1981, Joe and Jill welcomed their daughter, Ashley Biden, who would go on to become a social worker, activist, and fashion designer. Jill also stepped into the role of stepmother to Biden’s sons from his first marriage, Hunter and Beau, who were seven and eight years old when she married their father.

Hunter Biden later built a career as a Washington lobbyist and investment adviser, though his personal life, business dealings, and legal challenges have drawn significant public scrutiny—particularly during Joe Biden’s presidency.

In December 2024, President Biden granted Hunter a pardon following his conviction on gun and tax charges, a move that attracted national attention due to Biden’s earlier pledges not to issue such pardons.

Beau Biden served as an Army judge advocate in Iraq before becoming Attorney General of Delaware. His promising career was tragically cut short in 2015 when he died of brain cancer, a loss that deeply impacted the Biden family and shaped Joe Biden’s advocacy for cancer research.

Teaching Career

Alongside his political work, Biden contributed to higher education. From 1991 to 2008, he served as an adjunct professor at Widener University School of Law, where he co-taught a seminar on constitutional law.

In this role, Biden shared insights from his decades in public service, giving students both academic instruction and real-world perspectives on law and governance.

His long-standing involvement in teaching reflected his belief in educating future generations about the principles of democracy and public responsibility.

U.S. Senate (1973–2009)

Joe Biden entered the U.S. Senate in 1973 after his surprise victory in the 1972 Delaware Senate race. Over the next three and a half decades, he proved to be a dominant political figure in his state, winning reelection in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, and 2008. In most of these elections, Biden secured approximately 60% of the vote, reflecting his consistent popularity among Delaware voters.

At just 30 years old when first sworn in, Biden became the seventh-youngest senator in U.S. history. For much of his early Senate career, he served as the junior senator to William Roth, a Republican who held Delaware’s other Senate seat until Roth’s defeat in 2000.

Biden’s long tenure in the Senate—36 years in total—places him among the longest-serving senators in American history. His career was marked by work on key committees, a reputation for bipartisanship, and an ability to navigate complex legislative negotiations.

One of Biden’s most distinctive habits during his Senate years was his daily commute between Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, Delaware. Traveling primarily by Amtrak train, he made the round trip for decades so he could spend each night at home with his family. This routine earned him the affectionate nickname “Amtrak Joe”, a moniker that reflected his down-to-earth persona and commitment to balancing family life with political responsibilities.

Biden’s Senate career became the foundation for his later political achievements, including his eventual role as Vice President of the United States and later President. His time in the upper chamber helped shape his legislative expertise, foreign policy experience, and ability to forge relationships across party lines.

Senate Activities

In his early years in the Senate, Joe Biden concentrated on consumer protection, environmental policy, and advocating for greater government accountability. In a 1974 interview, he described his political stance as liberal on issues such as civil rights, civil liberties, healthcare, and senior citizens’ needs, but more conservative on topics like abortion and military conscription.

Biden played an active role in presidential politics, becoming the first U.S. senator to endorse Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination in 1976—a race Carter would go on to win. He was also deeply involved in arms control negotiations. When the Senate declined to ratify the SALT II Treaty signed in 1979 between President Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, Biden met with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko to negotiate changes that addressed objections from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

He gained national attention for sharply criticizing Secretary of State George Shultz over the Reagan administration’s support for apartheid-era South Africa. In 1984, Biden also voiced strong opposition to the Strategic Defense Initiative, a missile defense program proposed by the Reagan administration.

Stance on Busing and Civil Rights Policy

During the mid-1970s, Biden became one of the Senate’s most vocal opponents of race-integration busing. While his initial Senate campaign supported busing to combat de jure segregation (legally enforced segregation, particularly in the South), he opposed its use to address de facto segregation (racial separation due to neighborhood demographics, such as in Delaware). He opposed a constitutional amendment banning busing outright, but supported measures that restricted its use—such as a 1976 law prohibiting the use of federal funds for transporting students beyond their nearest school. He also co-sponsored a 1977 amendment closing loopholes in that law, which President Carter signed in 1978.

Legislative Work and Key Votes

In 1981, Biden became the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He played a central role in passing the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, serving as Democratic floor manager and working to moderate some of its harsher provisions.

In 1994, he was instrumental in passing the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which included both an assault weapons ban and the landmark Violence Against Women Act—legislation Biden has called his most significant achievement. However, the 1994 crime bill later drew criticism for contributing to mass incarceration, a result Biden has since expressed regret over.

Biden’s record on LGBTQ+ issues during the 1990s reflected the politics of the era. He voted in 1993 for a provision banning openly gay people from military service and, in 1996, supported the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevented federal recognition of same-sex marriages. That law was later struck down in the 2015 Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges.

Other Positions and Notable Actions

Biden was a vocal critic of Independent Counsel Ken Starr during the Whitewater and Clinton–Lewinsky investigations, saying it would be a “cold day in hell” before he supported granting such broad powers to another special prosecutor. He voted to acquit Bill Clinton during his impeachment trial.

In the 2000s, Biden backed bankruptcy reform legislation favored by credit card companies. Although President Bill Clinton vetoed the bill in 2000, it passed in 2005 as the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, with Biden among just 18 Democrats voting in favor.

A long-time advocate for passenger rail, Biden consistently supported increased Amtrak funding and pushed for stronger rail security measures, further cementing his reputation as “Amtrak Joe.”

Brain Surgeries

In February 1988, Joe Biden faced a serious health crisis after experiencing multiple episodes of intense neck pain. Medical evaluation revealed a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Biden underwent surgery to repair the aneurysm, but during his recovery, he suffered a pulmonary embolism, a dangerous complication involving a blood clot in the lungs.

A few months later, in May 1988, doctors discovered a second aneurysm, which was also surgically treated. The combination of two major brain surgeries and post-operative complications required a lengthy recovery period. As a result, Biden was absent from the U.S. Senate for approximately seven months while focusing on regaining his health.

These medical challenges marked a pivotal moment in Biden’s life, reinforcing his perspective on resilience, the fragility of life, and the importance of family support during times of crisis.

Senate Judiciary Committee

Joe Biden served for decades on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, holding key leadership roles during his tenure. He was the ranking minority member from 1981 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 1997, and he chaired the committee from 1987 to 1995.

As chair, Biden oversaw two of the most highly contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearings in modern U.S. history.

The Robert Bork Nomination (1987)

When President Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork to the Supreme Court in 1987, Biden faced a complex political moment. A year earlier, he had publicly indicated that he might support a hypothetical Bork nomination.

However, after reviewing Bork’s judicial philosophy—particularly his strict originalist interpretation of the Constitution—Biden withdrew his support. He argued that Bork’s approach conflicted with the belief that the Constitution protects certain rights to liberty and privacy even when they are not explicitly stated in its text.

Biden’s handling of the hearings drew mixed reactions: conservatives were frustrated by his reversal, while others praised him for fairness, humor, and political courage. Ultimately, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5–9 against recommending Bork’s confirmation, and the full Senate followed suit, rejecting him by a 42–58 vote.

The Clarence Thomas Nomination (1991)

In 1991, Biden chaired the confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas. His questioning on constitutional matters was sometimes seen as overly complex, leading Thomas to comment later that the inquiries felt like “beanballs.” The proceedings took a dramatic turn when law professor Anita Hill accused Thomas of making sexually inappropriate comments during their past professional interactions.

Biden had been aware of some allegations before they became public but initially kept them within the committee because Hill was unwilling to testify. When she later agreed, the hearings were reopened.

Hill testified, but Biden chose not to call other potential witnesses—such as another woman with similar allegations and experts on sexual harassment—decisions that sparked criticism from women’s rights advocates and liberal groups.

The full Senate ultimately confirmed Thomas by a 52–48 vote, with Biden voting in opposition. Years later, in 2019, Biden expressed regret to Hill over how the hearings were handled. However, Hill stated that she remained dissatisfied with his response and felt he had not done enough to support her at the time.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Joe Biden spent much of his Senate career as an influential member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he became a prominent voice on U.S. diplomacy and global affairs.

He first assumed the role of ranking minority member in 1997 and later served as chairman from June 2001 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2009. Known for his liberal internationalist approach, Biden often sought to blend American values with pragmatic foreign policy, emphasizing diplomacy, alliances, and multilateral engagement.

Biden had a reputation for working productively with members of both parties, and on several occasions, he took positions that went against elements of his own party.

Over the years, he met with more than 150 world leaders from 60 countries and international organizations, which helped establish him as one of the Democratic Party’s most recognized authorities on foreign policy.

Early Foreign Policy Stances

In 1991, Biden voted against authorizing U.S. military action in the Gulf War, believing diplomatic and economic measures should be exhausted before engaging in armed conflict.

Around the same time, he began closely following developments in the Yugoslav Wars, initially sparked by reports of Serbian human rights abuses during the Croatian War of Independence.

When the Bosnian War erupted, Biden was one of the earliest advocates for a “lift and strike” policy—lifting the arms embargo on Bosnian forces and launching airstrikes against Serbian positions.

However, both President George H. W. Bush and later President Bill Clinton resisted such measures, wary of becoming entangled in a complex Balkan conflict.

Confrontation with Slobodan Milošević

Biden’s commitment to the Balkans issue culminated in April 1993, when he engaged in a tense three-hour meeting with Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević. Biden confronted Milošević directly about atrocities and aggression in the region, an encounter he later described as one of his most memorable and challenging diplomatic moments.

He also worked on multiple legislative proposals urging greater U.S. involvement in the conflict, later calling his influence on mid-1990s Balkan policy his “proudest moment in public life” in the realm of foreign affairs.

Kosovo War and NATO Intervention

During the Kosovo War in 1999, Biden was a strong supporter of NATO’s bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. Alongside Senator John McCain, he co-sponsored the McCain-Biden Kosovo Resolution, which urged President Clinton to use all necessary force, including the deployment of ground troops if required, to stop Milošević’s crackdown on Kosovo Albanians.

Biden’s leadership on the Foreign Relations Committee helped shape significant U.S. foreign policy decisions during a critical era marked by post-Cold War realignments and humanitarian crises.

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Joe Biden emerged as a strong proponent of U.S. military action in Afghanistan. He declared, “Whatever it takes, we should do it,” reflecting his firm belief that defeating the Taliban and dismantling al-Qaeda were critical to American security.

As a senior voice on foreign affairs, Biden fully supported the initial intervention, viewing it as a necessary response to one of the most direct threats to the United States in modern history.

Biden’s stance on Iraq in the early 2000s was similarly assertive. In 2002, as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he publicly stated that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein posed a serious national security threat and that eliminating that threat was unavoidable.

That October, Biden voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, granting President George W. Bush the authority to launch the U.S. invasion.

As committee chair, he organized hearings that featured witnesses who strongly advocated for the war—although many of their claims, including allegations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, were later proven false.

Shift from Supporter to Critic

While Biden initially defended his vote, by 2005 he acknowledged that supporting the invasion had been a “mistake.” Despite his growing criticism, he did not push for an immediate U.S. withdrawal.

Instead, he continued to back funding for the occupation, arguing that the war should be internationalized, with greater involvement from U.S. allies. He also stressed the need for more troops on the ground and urged the Bush administration to be transparent with the American public about the war’s true cost, duration, and challenges.

Opposition to the 2007 Troop Surge

By late 2006, Biden’s position shifted sharply. He opposed President Bush’s proposed 2007 troop surge, openly challenging General David Petraeus’s belief that sending additional forces would stabilize Iraq. Biden famously declared that Petraeus was “dead, flat wrong.”

Instead of escalating U.S. involvement, Biden proposed a controversial alternative: dividing Iraq into a loose federation of three autonomous regions, each representing the country’s major ethnic and sectarian groups—Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shia Arabs.

In September 2007, the U.S. Senate passed a non-binding resolution in support of his plan, but the proposal failed to gain traction both in Iraq and internationally.

Biden’s journey from supporter to critic of the Iraq War remains one of the most significant evolutions in his foreign policy career, illustrating both his willingness to reassess his positions and the political risks of doing so.

1988 and 2008 Presidential Campaigns

1988 Campaign

Joe Biden officially announced his candidacy for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination on June 9, 1987. At the time, many political observers considered him a formidable contender.

His reputation as a moderate Democrat, his dynamic speaking skills, and his leadership role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee—particularly with the upcoming high-profile Robert Bork Supreme Court nomination hearings—positioned him as a candidate with both national visibility and generational appeal, especially to the Baby Boomer demographic. By the end of the first quarter of 1987, Biden had raised more campaign funds than any other Democratic hopeful.

However, by August 1987, Biden’s campaign began to falter. Internal rivalries among his staff led to inconsistent messaging, which undermined his once-strong start.

In September, a major controversy erupted when he was accused of plagiarizing a speech from British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. While Biden had previously credited Kinnock in other speeches, there were at least two occasions where he delivered similar lines without attribution.

Further scrutiny revealed that Biden had also incorporated lines from speeches by Robert F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy without proper credit—though in some cases, aides took responsibility for the oversight. Additionally, it surfaced that he had borrowed a 1976 passage from Hubert Humphrey.

Biden defended himself by arguing that borrowing political rhetoric was a common practice, pointing out that fellow candidate Jesse Jackson had used the same Humphrey passage.

The controversy deepened when it came to light that, during law school, Biden had used material from a Fordham Law Review article without adequate citation. An ethics review by the Delaware Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility concluded that he had not violated professional conduct rules.

Around this time, media outlets also highlighted several inaccurate or exaggerated statements Biden had made about his early life, such as claiming he earned three college degrees, attended law school on a full scholarship, graduated in the top half of his class, and participated in the civil rights movement.

With limited other political news in the cycle, these revelations dominated headlines. On September 23, 1987, Biden announced he was withdrawing from the race.

2008 Campaign

After considering runs in previous election cycles, Biden formally entered the 2008 presidential race in January 2007. This time, he built his campaign message around his foreign policy expertise, his long tenure in the Senate, and his vocal stance on the Iraq War.

Known for his quick wit, Biden delivered memorable debate lines—most famously quipping about Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani: “There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb, and 9/11.”

Despite his experience, Biden struggled to raise significant campaign funds and faced difficulty attracting large crowds. He failed to break out against the higher-profile campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, polling consistently in the single digits.

In the first Democratic contest, the Iowa caucuses on January 3, 2008, Biden placed fifth, securing less than one percent of state delegates. That same evening, he ended his campaign.

Although unsuccessful, the 2008 run had an unexpected benefit: it improved Biden’s relationship with Barack Obama. While the two had served together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, they were not initially close.

Biden had reportedly been skeptical of Obama’s rapid rise to political prominence, while Obama viewed Biden as overly talkative and somewhat condescending. However, during the campaign, they developed mutual respect. Obama recognized Biden’s appeal to working-class voters and appreciated his campaign style, while Biden came to see Obama as “the real deal.”

2008 and 2012 Vice-Presidential Campaigns

2008 Campaign

In August 2008, Barack Obama and Joe Biden held a private meeting to discuss Biden potentially joining the Democratic ticket. The conversation went well, and the two developed a strong personal rapport.

On August 22, Obama formally announced Biden as his running mate, a move widely seen as a strategic choice to bring foreign policy expertise and national security experience to the campaign.

Many analysts also noted Biden’s connection with middle-class and blue-collar voters, which complemented Obama’s appeal. Biden was officially nominated as the vice-presidential candidate on August 27 during the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Biden’s campaign appearances during the general election were relatively low-profile compared to the media frenzy surrounding Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, then the governor of Alaska.

Following the Obama campaign’s guidance, Biden kept his speeches concise and tried to avoid unscripted comments that might cause controversy. Still, occasional verbal missteps—nicknamed “Joe bombs” by campaign staff—led to moments of tension.

At one point, Obama privately expressed frustration, and Biden was excluded from certain strategy discussions. Their working relationship briefly cooled until Biden apologized, after which their partnership grew stronger.

When the 2008 financial crisis intensified in September, the proposed $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act became a central campaign issue.

Biden, then still serving as a U.S. senator, voted in favor of the measure, which passed the Senate. On October 2, he faced Palin in the vice-presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis. While Palin performed better than many had expected, post-debate polls indicated that Biden was viewed as the overall winner.

On November 4, 2008, the Obama-Biden ticket won the general election. At the same time, Biden had also run for re-election to the U.S. Senate, which Delaware law allowed.

He won both races and briefly held both positions before formally resigning from the Senate on January 15, 2009, just days before being sworn in as Vice President of the United States.

2012 Campaign

In October 2010, Biden revealed that President Obama had asked him to stay on as his running mate for the 2012 re-election bid. However, as Obama’s approval ratings slipped in late 2011, White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley quietly explored the idea of replacing Biden with Hillary Clinton.

Internal polling and focus group results showed no significant advantage to making the switch, and the idea was abandoned. Officials later insisted that Obama himself had never seriously considered the change.

In May 2012, Biden made headlines when he declared that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriage—a statement that drew sharp contrast to Obama’s then “evolving” position.

Biden’s remarks were unscripted and caught the administration off guard, frustrating Obama and his advisers, who had intended to announce his shift on the issue closer to the Democratic National Convention.

Nevertheless, Biden’s comments accelerated the timeline, and within days, Obama publicly voiced his support for marriage equality, partly spurred by the public reaction to Biden’s stance.

As the campaign intensified in the spring of 2012, Biden became a frequent presence in key swing states, energizing the Democratic base. In August, he again drew attention for his off-the-cuff style when, speaking to a racially diverse audience, he warned that Republican efforts to loosen Wall Street regulations could “put y’all back in chains.” The remark sparked criticism from opponents but reinforced Biden’s reputation for blunt, unfiltered commentary.

After Obama’s underwhelming performance in the first presidential debate against Republican nominee Mitt Romney, Biden was tasked with regaining momentum in his vice-presidential debate against Republican challenger Paul Ryan on October 11, 2012. Biden’s sharp, energetic performance—marked by quick rebuttals and memorable lines—was widely regarded as one of the strongest debates of his career.

His use of the phrase “a bunch of malarkey” in response to Ryan’s criticism of the administration’s handling of the Benghazi attacks quickly became a cultural catchphrase and would resurface in his 2020 presidential campaign.

On November 6, 2012, the Obama-Biden ticket secured re-election, cementing Biden’s second term as Vice President of the United States.

Vice Presidency (2009–2017)

First Term (2009–2013)

When Joe Biden assumed the vice presidency on January 20, 2009, he made it clear that he would not model his role after his predecessor, Dick Cheney, and had no plans to replicate any past vice president’s approach.

Biden became the first person from Delaware and the first Roman Catholic to hold the office. Inside the White House, he often acted as a contrarian voice, challenging ideas to ensure policies were well-defended—a role that then–Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said helped prevent groupthink.

The Bidens brought a warm, family-oriented atmosphere to the vice president’s residence, frequently hosting their grandchildren and making regular trips back to Delaware.

Biden was tasked with overseeing infrastructure spending from the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, aimed at countering the effects of the Great Recession.

Although he admitted in mid-2009 that the economic downturn was worse than initially thought, he maintained confidence in the program. By February 2011, he concluded that fraud involving stimulus funds was under one percent.

Not all moments were smooth—early in 2009, during the swine flu outbreak, a spontaneous public comment prompted a swift clarification from the White House, reinforcing Biden’s reputation for unscripted gaffes. In 2010, a hot mic caught him telling Obama that signing the Affordable Care Act was “a big [expletive] deal,” a remark that became widely quoted.

On the foreign policy front, Biden visited Kosovo in May 2009, affirming U.S. support for its independence. While he lost a debate with Hillary Clinton over sending additional troops to Afghanistan, his skepticism about military escalation gained more influence over time.

Obama also appointed him to oversee Iraq policy, making Biden the key intermediary with Iraqi leaders ahead of the U.S. troop withdrawal in 2011.

Biden played a significant role in major legislative negotiations. After Democrats suffered heavy losses in the 2010 midterms, his relationships with Republicans became increasingly valuable.

He was instrumental in securing Senate approval of the New START nuclear arms treaty and in brokering the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010—a compromise with Mitch McConnell that extended the Bush-era tax cuts temporarily.

During the 2011 debt ceiling crisis, Biden again negotiated directly with McConnell, helping secure the Budget Control Act of 2011. Reports later suggested he had reservations about the raid on Osama bin Laden in May 2011, concerned about the political fallout if it failed, though he later used the mission’s success as a rallying point for Obama’s re-election bid, declaring: “Osama bin Laden is dead, and General Motors is alive.”

In December 2012, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Obama appointed Biden to lead the Gun Violence Task Force to explore ways to prevent future tragedies. That same month, Biden’s negotiations with McConnell averted the “fiscal cliff,” resulting in the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Second Term as Vice President (2013–2017)

Joe Biden began his second term as vice president on January 20, 2013, taking the oath at his official residence, Number One Observatory Circle, in a private ceremony administered by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

A public ceremony followed the next day. In the early months of his second term, Biden had a limited role in the negotiations that ended the 2013 federal government shutdown and debt-ceiling standoff, as Democratic leaders—believing he had conceded too much in prior talks—kept him at arm’s length from direct congressional bargaining.

That year, Biden’s landmark legislation, the Violence Against Women Act, was renewed. He also co-chaired the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, launched in January 2014, alongside Valerie Jarrett. His advocacy for survivors of sexual violence was highlighted in 2016 when he introduced Lady Gaga at the 88th Academy Awards, earning a standing ovation.

On foreign policy, Biden supported arming Syrian rebels and revisited the 2006 Biden-Gelb plan for federalizing Iraq during the rise of ISIL, a proposal some viewed as prescient. He maintained strong ties with Latin America, visiting the region 16 times—more than any other U.S. president or vice president at the time.

In 2016, he traveled to Serbia, meeting with Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and offering condolences for civilian casualties from the Kosovo War bombings. Biden also set a record as the longest-serving vice president who never cast a tie-breaking Senate vote.

Throughout 2015, speculation swirled about a potential Biden run for president in 2016. While his allies urged him to enter the race amid Hillary Clinton’s slipping poll numbers, the death of his son Beau weighed heavily on him. Ultimately, Biden announced in October 2015 that he would not run.

Life After the Vice Presidency (2017–2021)

Biden left office on January 20, 2017, with Mike Pence succeeding him. Soon after, he became an honorary professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he established the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.

In 2017, he released his memoir Promise Me, Dad, embarking on a nationwide book tour. By 2019, he and his wife Jill had earned over $15 million from book sales and speaking engagements.

During this period, Biden remained politically active—endorsing candidates, speaking on issues like climate change, LGBT rights, and cancer research, and delivering high-profile speeches, including a eulogy for Senator John McCain in 2018.

2020 Presidential Campaign

Speculation and Launch
Between 2016 and 2019, Biden was frequently mentioned as a likely 2020 presidential contender. While initially noncommittal, he officially entered the race on April 25, 2019, citing deep concerns over the Trump administration and a personal sense of responsibility.

Campaign Trail
Biden’s perceived “electability” against Donald Trump kept him atop many polls, even as he faced criticism and scrutiny. In 2019, reports emerged of Trump pressuring Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son Hunter—a move that contributed to Trump’s impeachment.

Biden also faced public accusations from eight women regarding physical contact they deemed inappropriate, leading him to pledge greater respect for personal space. In 2020, Tara Reade alleged Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993, but the Biden campaign denied the claim, and discrepancies emerged between her earlier and later statements.

After a rocky start in the primaries—finishing poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire—Biden staged a major comeback by winning South Carolina with overwhelming Black voter support.

This momentum carried him to a string of victories on Super Tuesday and beyond, effectively securing the Democratic nomination after Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign in April 2020.

On August 11, Biden named Kamala Harris as his running mate, marking the first time a major-party ticket included an African American and South Asian American woman.

Election and Transition
In November 2020, Biden defeated Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States, winning 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232. Trump and many Republicans falsely claimed widespread voter fraud, delaying the transition process. Despite multiple failed legal challenges, some Trump allies attempted to submit false electoral certificates to overturn the results.

The effort culminated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, when rioters disrupted Congress’s certification of the election. Biden called the assault “an unprecedented attack unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times.” That night, after order was restored, Congress confirmed Biden and Harris as the winners.

Presidency (2021–2025)

Inauguration
On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. At 78 years old, he set the record as the oldest person to take office—a milestone later surpassed during Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

Biden became the nation’s second Catholic president, following John F. Kennedy, and the first to hail from Delaware. He was also the first member of the Silent Generation to hold the presidency and the first individual since George H. W. Bush to have served as both vice president and president.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and heightened security following the January 6 Capitol attack, the inauguration was far more subdued than past ceremonies.

First 100 Days

Within his first 48 hours, Biden signed 17 executive orders. By the end of his third day, his actions included returning the U.S. to the Paris Climate Agreement, ending the national emergency at the southern border, rejoining the World Health Organization, mandating mask use on federal property, expanding anti-hunger measures, and canceling the Keystone XL pipeline permit.

On March 11, 2021, he enacted the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which provided direct payments to most Americans, extended unemployment benefits, supported vaccine distribution, funded school reopenings, and expanded both the child tax credit and health insurance subsidies. An attempt to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour was removed after a Senate rules ruling.

That same month, amid rising border crossings, Biden maintained the Trump-era Title 42 policy for rapid deportations of migrant adults but declined to expel unaccompanied children, creating capacity strains at youth shelters. FEMA was deployed to assist.

On April 14, Biden announced a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, marking the end of nearly 20 years of combat involvement.

Later in April, he hosted a global climate summit, pledging to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50–52% from 2005 levels by 2030. The day before his 100th day in office, he addressed a joint session of Congress for the first time.

Domestic Policy

Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on June 17, 2021, making Juneteenth a federal holiday. As COVID-19 vaccinations slowed and the Delta variant spread in mid-2021, he urged Americans to get vaccinated.

In 2022, Biden supported a Senate filibuster change to pass major voting rights legislation, but the effort failed. He signed several key bills into law, including the Postal Service Reform Act, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (focused on gun reforms), the Honoring our PACT Act (improving healthcare for veterans exposed to toxic substances), and the Respect for Marriage Act, which mandated federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages.

In June 2024, Biden attempted to offer amnesty to undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens through executive action, but the policy was struck down by the courts.

In January 2025, he proclaimed the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment, though it carried no legal effect, as the National Archives declined to certify it.

Economic Policy

Biden took office during a strong rebound from the COVID-19 recession. His first year saw rapid GDP growth of 5.9%—the highest in 37 years—along with job creation records, wage gains, and stock market growth.

However, inflation surged, hitting a 40-year high of 7.1% by late 2021 and peaking at 9% in mid-2022. By December 2024, inflation had eased to 2.9%, but overall consumer prices rose 21.3% during his term, outpacing wage growth.

The unemployment rate dropped over 2 percentage points, GDP grew 11% total, and household net worth increased 28%. The national debt rose to $36.2 trillion.

Despite fears of a recession in 2022, strong consumer spending and job growth kept the economy from contracting long-term. GDP growth rebounded to 4.9% in the third quarter of 2023, while inflation eased.

Biden’s legislative accomplishments included the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act. He also raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 per hour, supported organized labor (even joining a United Auto Workers picket line—the first U.S. president to do so), and avoided intervening in a 2024 port strike.

The banking sector faced turbulence in March 2023, when three banks collapsed. Biden opposed taxpayer-funded bailouts, blaming partial rollbacks of financial regulations for the failures.

In 2023, a debt ceiling standoff with congressional Republicans ended with the Fiscal Responsibility Act, suspending the limit until 2025. Biden also extended the federal student loan payment pause and pursued large-scale loan forgiveness, though legal challenges blocked parts of his plan.

Judiciary

By the close of 2021, President Biden had successfully confirmed 40 federal judicial nominees—surpassing the first-year confirmation record of any U.S. president since Ronald Reagan. His selections reflected an unprecedented emphasis on diversity, with a majority being women and people of color.

When Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced in January 2022 that he would retire, Biden reaffirmed a campaign promise: to nominate the first Black woman to the Court.

On February 25, 2022, he selected Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the position. She was officially sworn in on June 30, 2022. Over the course of his presidency, Biden appointed 235 federal judges, the highest single-term total in at least half a century, with 63% being women and 60% identifying as non-white. He also voiced support for implementing judicial term limits and establishing a binding ethics code for Supreme Court justices.

Infrastructure and Climate Policy

As part of his Build Back Better framework, Biden unveiled the $2 trillion American Jobs Plan in March 2021. The proposal targeted improvements in transportation, broadband, utilities, housing, education, manufacturing, and workforce training.

After months of bipartisan negotiations, Congress passed a smaller, $1 trillion package—the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—in November 2021, which Biden signed shortly afterward.

The broader Build Back Better Act, initially valued at $3.5 trillion, sought to expand social programs and introduce large-scale climate provisions. Efforts to pass it through budget reconciliation stalled due to opposition from Senator Joe Manchin, even after reducing the bill’s size to $2.2 trillion.

The plan was eventually restructured into the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which focused on deficit reduction, healthcare expansion, tax reforms, and $370 billion in climate and energy initiatives.

The Inflation Reduction Act aimed to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 31% to 44% below 2005 levels by 2030. It passed the Senate on a party-line vote with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie, and Biden signed it into law on August 16, 2022.

At COP26 in Glasgow, Biden pledged to double climate funding for developing nations by 2024 and joined an agreement with the EU to cut methane emissions by one-third by 2030.

He also negotiated with China on joint emission reduction efforts. By 2024, his administration introduced a plan to protect 3.2 million hectares of wetlands and 161,000 km of waterways. Biden ultimately protected a record 674 million acres of land and ocean, largely due to a ban on offshore drilling across 625 million acres of ocean territory.

Immigration

Upon taking office in 2021, Biden faced a sharp rise in illegal crossings at the U.S.–Mexico border, peaking in December 2023. In 2024, crossings dropped significantly following new restrictions on asylum claims for those entering between official ports and increased enforcement cooperation with Mexico. That year, deportations reached their highest annual total since 2014.

Biden expanded humanitarian parole programs, enabling over one million migrants to legally enter the U.S. through flights or scheduled border entries by January 2024.

In early 2024, he backed a bipartisan border security bill led by Senators Kyrsten Sinema and James Lankford, which included provisions to temporarily close the border under high crossing rates, detain asylum seekers during screening, expedite deportations for failed claims, and provide green card protections for children of H-1B visa holders. The proposal stalled after opposition from former President Donald Trump and GOP leadership.

Throughout his presidency, Biden’s border approach faced criticism from both the left, who considered it overly strict, and the right, who saw it as too permissive. In mid-2024, he signed an executive order granting presidential authority to restrict border entry when necessary.

Pardons and Clemency

Biden granted more individual pardons and commutations than any previous U.S. president. In October 2022, he pardoned all federal offenses for small-scale cannabis possession. In December 2023, he extended pardons to individuals convicted of cannabis use or possession on federal lands.

On December 12, 2024, Biden announced the largest single-day clemency action in U.S. history, commuting sentences for roughly 1,500 nonviolent offenders in home confinement.

This group included high-profile white-collar criminals such as Michael Conahan, involved in the “kids for cash” scandal, and Rita Crundwell, responsible for the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. The administration defended the decision, citing uniform eligibility criteria and the belief in second chances.

On December 1, 2024, Biden issued an unprecedented, sweeping pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, covering all potential federal offenses committed between 2014 and the date of the pardon.

Despite previously stating he would not pardon his son, Biden defended the move as a father’s act in the face of what he viewed as politically motivated prosecution.

On his final day in office, Biden extended pardons to other family members, including his siblings and their spouses, as well as notable political figures such as former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley and former NIAID director Anthony Fauci. Many pardons were preemptive, covering actions that may not have been investigated yet, and Biden framed them as a safeguard against politically driven legal actions in the upcoming administration.

2022 Midterm Elections

On September 2, 2022, during a nationally televised address in Philadelphia, President Biden described the political climate as a “battle for the soul of the nation.” Off camera, he referred to Trump supporters as “semi-fascists,” a remark that drew strong condemnation from Republican commentators.

Contrary to widespread predictions of a Republican “red wave,” the midterm results were far tighter than expected. Republicans secured only a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, winning 222 seats, while Democrats retained control of the Senate.

The 2022 midterms were historically significant — they marked the first time since 1986 that a sitting president’s party gained governorships during a midterm, and the first time since 1934 that it lost no state legislative chambers.

Democrats credited Biden for their unexpectedly strong showing, although analysts also pointed to factors such as the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and weak Republican candidate quality in several races.

Foreign Policy

Biden’s first international trip as president took place in June 2021, with visits to the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Switzerland. He participated in the G7, NATO, and EU summits, and held direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In September 2021, he unveiled AUKUS, a strategic security alliance between the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Earlier in 2021, Biden announced the U.S. would halt support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen and rescinded the terrorist designation for the Houthis.

His administration oversaw major counterterrorism operations, including the February 2022 raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, and the July 2022 drone strike that eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. Relations with Saudi Arabia soured in late 2022 after the OPEC+ oil production cuts.

In August 2024, Biden oversaw the Ankara prisoner exchange, the largest since the Cold War, freeing 26 individuals, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan. By November 2024, his administration had also helped broker a ceasefire in the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.

U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

The U.S. began its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2020 under a deal with the Taliban, with a final deadline of May 1, 2021. On August 15, 2021, the Afghan government collapsed, prompting Biden to send 6,000 troops to secure evacuations.

The chaotic withdrawal faced bipartisan criticism, especially after a suicide bombing at Kabul airport on August 26 killed 13 U.S. service members and 169 Afghans.

Despite acknowledging the operation unfolded faster than anticipated, Biden defended his decision, stating Americans should not fight in a war “that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves.” The final U.S. forces left Afghanistan on August 30, 2021, having evacuated over 120,000 people.

Post-withdrawal, the U.S. remained Afghanistan’s largest aid donor, providing over $20 billion by 2024. However, on September 25, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the administration’s handling of the withdrawal.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Biden responded with sweeping sanctions and authorized billions in military aid. By year’s end, U.S. assistance to Ukraine totaled approximately $113 billion.

Despite repeated requests, Biden refused to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory, except for a limited exception near Kharkiv granted in May 2024. Delays in weapons delivery and congressional disputes over additional funding often complicated support efforts.

China Relations

Concerns over China’s expanding influence in the Pacific grew in late 2022 following the Solomon Islands–China security pact. Biden pledged to bolster alliances with Australia and New Zealand.

He publicly stated on multiple occasions that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack — a stance that his administration later clarified as consistent with America’s long-standing “strategic ambiguity” policy.

Biden also took steps to limit China’s technological advancements, issuing executive orders targeting high-tech sectors. Tensions deepened in February 2023 when the U.S. shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, leading Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a planned trip to Beijing.

In 2024, the administration sharply increased tariffs on Chinese imports, including solar cells, electric vehicle batteries, and metals. That same year, Biden signed legislation that could ban apps deemed to be controlled by foreign adversaries, with TikTok specifically cited. In December 2022, he had already prohibited the app’s use on federal government devices.

Gaza War

In October 2023, Hamas carried out an unexpected assault on Israel, sparking a rapidly escalating conflict that disrupted the Biden administration’s diplomatic efforts to foster normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. President Biden voiced unwavering support for Israel and strongly condemned Hamas’s actions.

To deter further regional escalation, he ordered U.S. aircraft carriers to the area and requested an additional $14 billion in military aid for Israel. While maintaining opposition to a full ceasefire, Biden endorsed limited “humanitarian pauses” to facilitate aid delivery to Gaza.

He also urged Israel to temporarily halt its ground offensive for at least three days to enable hostage negotiations — a request that resulted in Israel agreeing to daily four-hour pauses. In addition, he directed the U.S. military to help coordinate humanitarian relief efforts for Palestinians in Gaza.

Biden, who has publicly called himself a Zionist, faced criticism from both domestic and international observers over his steadfast backing of Israel despite mounting civilian casualties and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Critics accused his administration of being too lenient toward Israel’s military actions.

The situation intensified after Palestinian civilians were killed while receiving food aid on February 29, 2024. Biden acknowledged that aid levels entering Gaza were insufficient, and on March 3, the U.S. military began airdropping supplies. However, some experts criticized the airdrops as symbolic measures unlikely to significantly address the famine.

Throughout the war, Biden maintained support for Israel, even amid widespread protests and polling data showing most Americans disapproved of Israel’s conduct. By April 2024, pro-Palestinian demonstrations had become prominent on university campuses across the U.S., often denouncing Biden directly.

On May 31, 2024, Biden publicly backed an Israeli ceasefire proposal, stating that Hamas was “no longer capable” of mounting another large-scale attack. The plan called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the rebuilding of Gaza, and was endorsed by Hamas after mediation by Egypt and Qatar.

Israel, however, insisted that its objectives — including dismantling Hamas’s military and governing power — remained unchanged.

By the first anniversary of the war, the Biden administration had provided Israel with at least $17.9 billion in military aid, the highest in history, alongside $1.2 billion in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.

In his final week in office, Qatar announced that Hamas had accepted the ceasefire deal, agreeing to release 33 hostages pending Israeli approval. Biden welcomed the development, declaring that it was “long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin.”

NATO Enlargement

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Biden strongly supported NATO expansion to include Sweden and Finland. On August 9, 2022, he signed the U.S. ratification documents endorsing their membership bids.

Finland officially joined the alliance on April 4, 2023, but Sweden’s accession faced delays due to objections from Turkey and Hungary. Biden engaged in diplomatic efforts that eventually paved the way for Sweden’s formal NATO membership on March 7, 2024.

Biden has also expressed willingness to see Ukraine join NATO once the war ends, advocating for an accelerated accession process and the removal of traditional requirements such as the Membership Action Plan.

Retention of Classified Documents

In November 2022, President Biden’s legal team discovered classified files dating back to his tenure as vice president in a secured closet at the Penn Biden Center. The discovery was immediately reported to the U.S. National Archives, which retrieved the materials the next day. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed John R. Lausch Jr. on November 14 to review the matter.

A second set of classified documents was found on December 20 in the garage of Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware residence. This led Garland, on January 12, 2023, to name Robert K. Hur as special counsel to investigate any potential unauthorized possession or mishandling of government records.

During a consensual 13-hour FBI search of Biden’s Wilmington home on January 20, six additional classified-marked documents were recovered. Another FBI search at his Rehoboth Beach property on February 1 uncovered papers from his vice presidency, though none bore classified markings.

After months of inquiry, Hur announced on February 8, 2024, that the investigation would not result in any criminal charges against Biden.

Business Activities and Impeachment Inquiry

On January 11, 2023, the House of Representatives launched a formal investigation into the foreign business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter, and his brother, James. Representative James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, also pursued inquiries linked to the widely publicized Hunter Biden laptop controversy.

On September 12, 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy opened a formal impeachment inquiry, citing what he described as evidence of corruption involving Biden and his family.

Despite months of hearings and document reviews, as of December 2023 no proof of misconduct by Biden himself had been found. Nevertheless, on December 13, the House voted 221–212 to officially advance the impeachment inquiry.

The credibility of certain allegations unraveled in February 2024 when Alexander Smirnov, a former intelligence source tied to bribery claims against Biden, was indicted for making false statements. Smirnov later admitted that his information originated from Russian intelligence operatives intent on undermining Biden’s re-election prospects.

Age and Health Concerns

By 2025, Biden held the distinction of being the oldest president in U.S. history. His age and cognitive sharpness became topics of increasing political debate. While Republicans and some media figures openly questioned his mental acuity, reports suggested that even some Democrats privately shared those concerns.

White House staff and family members reportedly shielded him from intense public scrutiny regarding his age-related decline.

The issue came to the forefront after Biden’s underwhelming performance in the June 2024 presidential debate, which received extensive media coverage. Prior to that, concerns had been discussed less publicly, partly due to forceful pushback from administration officials.

While Biden insisted throughout his term that he was physically and mentally capable of serving two full terms, he later conceded that age might limit his ability to continue in the role.

Special counsel Robert Hur’s report on the classified documents investigation noted instances where Biden could not recall specific dates, including when he served as vice president or the year of his son Beau’s death. Hur’s assessment described Biden’s memory as having “significant limitations.”

Biden’s health record also included multiple bouts with COVID-19. He first tested positive on July 21, 2022, experiencing mild symptoms and receiving treatment with Paxlovid.

He isolated for five days, only to test positive again on July 30, prompting a second isolation period. He contracted the virus again on July 17, 2024. In a 2023 interview, when asked whether other Democrats could defeat Donald Trump, Biden responded with humor, saying, “Probably 50 of them.”

2024 Presidential Campaign

After months of speculation, President Biden officially declared on April 25, 2023, that he would seek a second term in the 2024 election, once again with Vice President Kamala Harris as his running mate.

On the day of his announcement, a Gallup poll placed his approval rating at 37%, with respondents citing the economy as their top concern. Throughout the campaign, Biden emphasized his administration’s record on economic recovery and growth, often using the slogan “finish the job” to rally supporters.

Biden faced a Democratic primary challenge from U.S. Representative Dean Phillips, who campaigned as a younger, more electable alternative against Donald Trump in the general election.

Biden skipped the January 23 New Hampshire primary ballot but still won decisively as a write-in candidate with 63.8% of the vote. His preferred early-state contest, South Carolina, was held on February 3, where he secured 96.2% of the vote.

He went on to win Nevada with 89.3% and Michigan with 81.1%. On Super Tuesday, March 5, Biden captured victories in 15 of 16 primaries, earning 80% or more in 13 states.

His only loss came in American Samoa, where venture capitalist Jason Palmer defeated him—making Biden the first sitting president to lose a contest while appearing on the ballot since Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Following Super Tuesday, Phillips suspended his campaign on March 6 and endorsed Biden. Less than a week later, on March 12, Biden secured more than the 1,968 delegates required to clinch the Democratic nomination, becoming the party’s presumptive nominee.

The first presidential debate took place on June 27, 2024, between Biden and Trump. Biden’s performance drew widespread criticism, with observers noting moments where he appeared to lose his train of thought or give lengthy, unfocused responses.

Many media commentators declared Trump the clear winner, and polls suggested most viewers agreed. The debate reignited concerns about Biden’s age and mental sharpness, leading to public calls for him to step aside from the race—some coming from prominent Democrats and the editorial boards of major newspapers.

Withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Race and Election Results

After months of insisting he would remain in the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden unexpectedly announced on July 21, 2024, that he was stepping aside.

In his statement, Biden explained that the decision was made “in the best interest of my party and the country.” He publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee to succeed him.

On August 6, 2024, Harris officially secured the Democratic nomination, marking a historic moment—the first time since 1968 that a sitting president eligible for reelection had chosen not to run.

In the general election, Donald Trump defeated Harris, and Republicans regained control of the U.S. Senate for the first time since 2018. Following the election, Biden addressed the nation in a televised speech, congratulating Trump and promising a “peaceful and orderly” transition of power.

In a January 2025 interview, Biden claimed that he could have defeated Trump had he stayed in the race, despite trailing him in most opinion polls. A YouGov poll conducted on November 6–7, 2024, indicated that Trump would have still prevailed in the popular vote if Biden had been the nominee, winning 49% to Biden’s 42%. Against Harris, Trump’s victory margin was narrower—49.8% to 48.3%.

Evaluations of Biden’s Presidency

In February 2024, a survey conducted by the American Political Science Association ranked Biden as the 14th-best president in U.S. history. The ranking stood out because Biden had neither significant military victories nor major institutional reforms credited to his name.

Historians and political scholars participating in the poll largely identified Biden’s win over Trump in the 2020 election as his signature achievement, viewing it as a critical moment that safeguarded democratic norms and preserved governmental stability.

However, public opinion painted a far less favorable picture. Amy Walter, editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, argued that many Americans saw Biden’s presidency as unsuccessful, primarily due to frustration over persistent inflation.

According to Walter, voters viewed inflation as the most critical economic concern—more important than factors like a strong stock market, low unemployment rates, or rising household incomes.

Economists disagree on the extent to which Biden’s policies contributed to the inflationary pressures, but Gallup surveys showed that Americans’ perception of the economy in 2024 was worse than in nearly any other year since 2008 and 1992. This negative economic outlook played a major role in Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.

Post-Presidency (2025–Present)

Joe Biden’s presidency officially concluded on January 20, 2025. Before leaving office, he appointed former senior advisors Anthony Bernal and Annie Tomasini to lead fundraising efforts for the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library. Not long after, Biden re-signed with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the same talent agency that had represented him between 2017 and 2020.

On February 7, 2025, President Donald Trump revoked Biden’s security clearance. While former presidents are often granted access to intelligence briefings, such privileges are granted at the discretion of the sitting president. During his own presidency in 2021, Biden had made a similar move by rescinding Trump’s clearance in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot.

Biden’s first major public appearance after leaving the White House took place on April 15, 2025, when he spoke at the Advocates, Counselors and Representatives for the Disabled (ACRD) conference in Chicago.

In his speech, he criticized the Trump administration’s management of the Social Security Administration. On May 7, he appeared on The View to defend his presidential record.

On April 26, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the state funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City.

Health

On May 18, 2025, Biden’s office disclosed that he had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer that had metastasized to his bones, discovered during a routine physical.

The cancer had spread from the prostate to surrounding tissue, and his urinary symptoms had worsened. On May 30, Biden announced that he had begun a six-week regimen of oral medication, to be followed by additional treatment.

Political Positions

During his years in the Senate, Joe Biden was widely viewed as a moderate Democrat. However, as the Democratic presidential nominee, his policy platform was described by some analysts as the most progressive of any major party candidate in U.S. history—though it still did not fully align with the most left-leaning members of his party.

Biden has often attributed his political values to the principles of Catholic social teaching, which emphasize human dignity, community responsibility, and care for the vulnerable.

Political scientist Carlo Invernizzi Accetti has characterized Biden’s approach as an Americanized version of Christian democracy—a philosophy that blends elements from both center-left and center-right traditions.

Biden has acknowledged the influence of Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, a pioneer of Christian democratic thought, in shaping his worldview. Other political commentators have likened his beliefs to traditional liberalism, defined by a commitment to liberty, equality, justice, and individual rights, supported by a strong federal government to uphold these values.

In 2022, journalist Sasha Issenberg described Biden’s greatest political strength as his ability to instinctively align himself with the shifting center of the Democratic Party. While some critics labeled his climate policies as socialist, others saw them as pragmatic responses to environmental challenges.

Economically, Biden proposed rolling back parts of the corporate tax cuts enacted under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He has supported major trade agreements in the past, including NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

On healthcare, Biden has been a staunch defender of the Affordable Care Act, advocating for its expansion with the goal of covering 97% of Americans through a mix of private insurance and a new public option.

Biden’s stance on same-sex marriage evolved over time. While serving in the Senate, he opposed nationwide recognition and voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, though he resisted attempts to amend the Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Since 2012, he has openly supported marriage equality. On criminal justice, he cultivated strong ties with law enforcement organizations and championed legislation such as the Police Officer’s Bill of Rights, which was supported by police unions but opposed by many police chiefs.

His position on drug policy shifted as well—he once backed harsher penalties for drug offenses but later supported decriminalizing cannabis.

On environmental policy, Biden has consistently emphasized the urgency of combating climate change. As a senator, he co-sponsored the Boxer–Sanders Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, considered one of the strictest climate bills ever introduced in Congress.

As president, he rejoined the Paris Agreement, set goals to make the U.S. power sector carbon-free by 2035, and aimed for net-zero emissions by 2050. He has taken measures to protect forests, opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and promoted environmental justice. While Republicans accused him of waging a “war on American energy,” U.S. oil production actually reached a record high in October 2023.

In foreign policy, Biden has identified China as the United States’ most serious competitor and has criticized its human rights abuses, particularly in the Xinjiang region. He pledged to impose sanctions and restrictions on Chinese officials involved in repression.

Biden has opposed regime change but supports non-military assistance to pro-democracy movements abroad. His voting record includes opposition to U.S. involvement in the Gulf War, support for the Iraq War, and opposition to direct U.S. intervention in Libya.

He has advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, ending U.S. backing for the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, and reassessing U.S.–Saudi relations. He also extended the New START treaty with Russia and became the first U.S. president to formally recognize the Armenian genocide.

On abortion, Biden’s position has balanced his personal opposition—rooted in his Catholic faith—with his political support for reproductive rights. He backed Roe v. Wade, opposed the Hyde Amendment in later years, and criticized restrictive abortion laws passed in Republican-led states after the Supreme Court overturned Roe.

While he declined to authorize abortion services on federal land, he promised to sign legislation codifying Roe’s protections into federal law, though such an effort stalled in the Senate.

Public Image

Throughout his time in the Senate, Joe Biden was often ranked among the least wealthy members, something he attributed to entering politics at a young age. Concerned that financially struggling public officials could be more susceptible to political influence, he supported campaign finance reforms early in his career.

Despite this stance, Biden maintained close ties to the credit card company MBNA—a major donor to his campaigns—earning him the nickname “the senator from MBNA.” In November 2009, his net worth was reported at just over $27,000.

By late 2020, however, the Bidens’ net worth had risen to around $9 million, largely through book sales and paid speaking engagements following his vice presidency.

Political columnist David S. Broder observed that Biden matured over the years, praising his ability to connect with people and work effectively with other politicians. Journalist James Traub described him as a fundamentally upbeat person who extended generosity to others. Since the death of his eldest son Beau in 2015, Biden has been recognized for his empathy and his ability to speak authentically about grief.

Biden is known for his loquacious style. Wolf Blitzer has called him talkative, while journalist Mark Bowden noted his tendency to lean in close when speaking, as if confiding in a friend.

Biden often strays from prepared remarks and is known for verbal missteps—earning him a reputation for gaffes. The New York Times remarked that his lack of verbal filters could lead him to say almost anything.

He has also been criticized for embellishing personal stories, sometimes overstating his involvement in historical events or his academic achievements. The New Yorker and The New York Times have both noted that his folksy storytelling can blur the lines between fact and folklore, with dates and details occasionally altered to make a more compelling narrative.

Job Approval

Biden’s presidency began with strong approval ratings, holding above 50% for the first eight months according to Morning Consult polling. However, by late 2021, his ratings had dropped into the low 40s, influenced by the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, rising COVID-19 hospitalizations from the Delta variant, high inflation, increasing gas prices, internal party divisions, and the typical midterm slump faced by U.S. presidents.

In 2023, Biden recorded the lowest approval rating of any modern U.S. president after three years in office. Gallup data showed Democratic support dropping from 98% in early 2021 to 78% by the end of that year, eventually reaching 75% in 2023.

His ratings among Republicans remained in single digits for most of his presidency. Over his four years, Biden’s average approval steadily declined: 49% in his first year, 41% in his second, 40% in his third, and 39% in his fourth.

Just before withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race, his approval fell to 36%, with an overall average of 42.2%—second-lowest in Gallup’s historical rankings, ahead only of Donald Trump’s first term.

Other polling organizations, including CNN, CBS News, and FiveThirtyEight, placed his final approval rating in the mid-to-high 30% range.

Media Depictions

Biden has been portrayed by numerous actors on Saturday Night Live, starting with Kevin Nealon in 1991. Jason Sudeikis took on the role during the 2008 election season and reprised it frequently, while John Mulaney, Alex Moffat, Mikey Day, Woody Harrelson, and Jim Carrey each portrayed him during the 2020 election cycle.

Dana Carvey played Biden in 2024. In 2016, Greg Kinnear depicted him in HBO’s Confirmation, which dramatized the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

The satirical news outlet The Onion also published a long-running series of humorous, fictionalized articles about Biden.

Legacy

By the time Biden left office in 2025, many journalists—and even members of his own party—viewed his presidency as a disappointment. Age-related concerns, ongoing inflation, and Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 election contributed to this perception.

The Guardian described the end of his presidency as a “tragedy,” noting the irony of Biden being succeeded by the man he had previously defeated.

Political analyst Ronald Brownstein compared Biden to Jimmy Carter, whose presidency was overshadowed by economic troubles, while Biden’s was marked by inflation between 2021 and 2023.

His withdrawal from the 2024 race drew parallels to Lyndon B. Johnson’s decision in 1968, as both presidents started with strong approval ratings but saw them steadily erode amid domestic unrest and foreign policy criticism.

A December 2024 Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans rated his presidency as below average or poor, with only a small minority calling it outstanding.

Most respondents felt the U.S. had lost ground in areas such as the economy, immigration, and global standing, while only one category—LGBTQ+ rights—was seen as having improved under his leadership.

Scholarly Rankings

In 2022, the Siena College Research Institute ranked Biden 19th out of 45 presidents. By 2024, the Presidential Greatness Project’s expert survey had moved him up to 14th place.

Joe Biden full name, date of birth, age, place of birth, citizenship, origin, occupation, spouse, net worth.

Joe Biden Wiki

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Joe Biden Biography

Early Life

Family Background and Home Life

Sports, Education, and Young Adulthood

Marriages, Law School, and Early Career

Law practices

1972 U.S. Senate Campaign in Delaware

Death of First Wife and Daughter

Second Marriage

Teaching Career

U.S. Senate (1973–2009)

Senate Activities

Stance on Busing and Civil Rights Policy

Legislative Work and Key Votes

Other Positions and Notable Actions

Brain Surgeries

Senate Judiciary Committee

The Robert Bork Nomination (1987)

The Clarence Thomas Nomination (1991)

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Early Foreign Policy Stances

Confrontation with Slobodan Milošević

Kosovo War and NATO Intervention

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

Shift from Supporter to Critic

Opposition to the 2007 Troop Surge

1988 and 2008 Presidential Campaigns

1988 Campaign

2008 Campaign

2008 and 2012 Vice-Presidential Campaigns

2008 Campaign

2012 Campaign

Vice Presidency (2009–2017)

First Term (2009–2013)

Second Term as Vice President (2013–2017)

Presidency (2021–2025)

Retention of Classified Documents

Business Activities and Impeachment Inquiry

Age and Health Concerns

2024 Presidential Campaign

Withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Race and Election Results

Evaluations of Biden’s Presidency

Post-Presidency (2025–Present)

Health

Political Positions

Public Image

Job Approval

Media Depictions

Legacy

Scholarly Rankings

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