Joe Biden’s approval ratings compared to other presidents
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
Joe Biden’s approval ratings during and at the end of his presidency trended lower than most recent post‑World War II presidents, with multiple measures showing his averages among the lowest on record and his 13th‑quarter average historically weak [1][2]. At specific moments—early honeymoon and midterm run‑ups—Biden compared variably to predecessors (higher than Trump early, lower than Reagan/Clinton/Obama at similar points), a pattern that reflects partisan polarization and shifting issues like inflation, immigration and foreign wars [3][4][2].
1. Biden’s raw standing: low averages and historically weak quarters
Across multi‑year aggregates, Gallup reported that Biden averaged 42.2% job approval across his four years, placing him as the second‑lowest average in Gallup’s post‑World War II history [1], and Gallup also flagged that Biden’s 13th‑quarter average of 38.7% ranked near the bottom of presidential quarters historically (277th of 314) [2]. Those summaries establish a quantitative baseline: by Gallup’s long‑running series, Biden’s average and certain quarterly snapshots were markedly lower than the norms for modern presidents [1][2].
2. How timing changes the comparison: honeymoon vs. later decline
Biden entered office with approval above 50% and experienced a modest honeymoon—Gallup and other trackers noted approval in the 50s early on—yet that initial popularity eroded amid economic and geopolitical headwinds [3][5]. Several outlets emphasize that while Biden’s early approval exceeded Donald Trump’s at comparable start points, by the run‑up to midterms and into later quarters Biden’s ratings fell to levels similar to or below those of other embattled presidents at comparable stages [4][3].
3. Relative to specific presidents: where Biden stands
Comparisons show heterogeneity: Pew found Biden’s near‑two‑year approval around 38%—similar to Trump’s at that stage but lower than Reagan, Clinton and Obama at comparable points [4]. VisualCapitalist’s graphic argued Biden’s third‑year approval was among the lowest for a first‑term president in modern history [6]. Fortune and other analyses contrasted Biden’s mid‑term standing with much higher mid‑term approvals recorded by several past presidents such as Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush at similar calendar points [3].
4. Partisan asymmetry and subgroup dynamics
Gallup and subsequent analyses underscore that Biden maintained normal Democratic support levels but suffered historically low backing from independents and minimal crossover from Republicans, amplifying party‑line polarization in his polling [1]. Visual and Ballotpedia week‑by‑week indexes show Biden’s approval fluctuating with issue salience—economy, immigration, international conflicts—which affected independents more than core Democrats or Republicans [6][7].
5. End‑of‑term and retrospective rankings
Business Insider and Gallup reporting indicate Biden left office with relatively low retrospective approval and that public expectations of his historical standing skewed negative—surveys found a majority predicted he would be judged below average historically [8][9]. Gallup’s mid‑2025 retrospective average placed Biden near the bottom on the metric of average job approval across a full term [1].
6. Caveats, alternative readings and methodology limits
Different pollsters, averaging methods and time windows yield varying portraits: Pew’s year‑average approach, Gallup’s-quarterly framing, and rolling averages from aggregators like Ballotpedia or The New York Times produce differences in exact percentages and rank ordering [4][7][10]. Some analysts highlight that approval can rebound in retrospection and that legislative wins, economic rebounds or later crises can alter historical judgments—Gallup itself notes last impression effects can shift perceived legacies [1]. Reporting here is constrained to the cited polling and summaries; deeper archival cross‑pollster aggregation would be needed for a single definitive rank.
Conclusion
Measured against modern presidents, Joe Biden’s approval during his term and at its conclusion was lower than most recent post‑WWII presidents and at times among the weakest quarterly and average scores Gallup has recorded [1][2], though comparisons vary by timing and methodology and are shaped by strong partisan sorting and specific issue pressures that disproportionately moved independents [4][1].