A recent Gallup poll shows that President Joe Biden has done less to improve the nation’s defenses, immigration system, and federal debt compared to his three most recent predecessors — Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush.
The survey, which was conducted last month, found that Biden, who is 82 years old, received lower ratings on critical issues than the previous presidents. Biden has often praised his administration’s efforts, calling his foreign policy team “one of the most competent in American history” and claiming that the economy he’s leaving behind is the best in the world. However, many Americans disagree with these assessments.
On national defense, Biden received a negative rating of -19%, lower than Trump’s +25%, Obama’s -9%, and Bush’s +3%. About 40% of Americans believe the country’s defense weakened under Biden, pointing to events like the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and a Chinese spy balloon flying over the country before being shot down.
Biden also received poor ratings on immigration. A majority, 51%, said immigration has worsened under his leadership, with many pointing to the large number of migrants crossing the border in recent years. Biden’s immigration rating was -51%, far worse than Bush’s -37%, Trump’s -19%, and Obama’s -18%. Only 13% of respondents felt immigration improved during Biden’s presidency.
When it comes to the federal debt, which is more than $36 trillion, Biden scored the worst among the recent presidents with a net negative rating of -56%. This is worse than Obama’s -36% and Trump’s -45%. Biden’s handling of the debt was seen as a major issue by most Americans.
Biden did receive a positive rating on some issues, especially for his work on LGBT rights. He had a +16% rating for progress made for gay, lesbian, and transgender people, which was lower than Obama’s +52% but better than Trump’s +4%.
Biden’s overall legacy is also viewed poorly by many. A Gallup poll found that 37% of Americans believe he will be remembered as a “below average” president, while 17% think his presidency will be seen as “poor.” Only 6% think he will be remembered as “outstanding,” and 13% consider him “above average.”
