Biden Leaves Office With Mixed Reactions to His Legacy

The 82-year-old president said he has achieved significant wins for the country even though his approval ratings remained persistently low.

President Joe Biden looks on after he delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Mandel Ngan - Pool/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden took office amid one of the most sweeping public health crises in the nation’s history, promising to “restore the soul” of the country and bring unity. As his term comes to an end, his presidency has been met with a mix of praise and criticism, leaving behind a divided legacy.

In his inaugural address in 2021, Biden described the moment as a “winter of peril and possibility.” Four years later, in his farewell speech to the nation on Jan. 15, he expressed pride in his administration’s achievements.