Politics

The One Thing Americans Remember About Biden

Published

12 months ago

January 19, 2025

The One Thing Americans Remember About Biden

What one thing do you remember most about Joe Biden’s presidency?

We surveyed more than 2,000 Americans this month and asked for their most prominent memory of Mr. Biden’s time in office. Here’s what they said, in their own words.

“Economy wrecker”
Trump voter in 2024
“The economy improved”
Harris voter
“Giving money to Israel and Ukraine”
Harris voter
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“Allowing migrants illegally”
Did not vote
“Very high border crossings”
Trump voter
“His declining cognitive abilities”
Harris voter
“Trying to help the common people”
Harris voter
“He was a total disaster”
Trump voter
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“A return to normal presidential responsibility and decency”
Harris voter

President Joe Biden will leave office on Monday with a dismal approval rating and a complicated legacy.

Unsurprisingly, Americans’ positive and negative memories of Mr. Biden in a poll conducted by The New York Times and Ipsos this month largely split along partisan lines. Respondents who voted for Donald J. Trump were unsparing in their criticism of Mr. Biden, while those who voted for Kamala Harris had mostly positive views, though some also disapproved.

What they said about Mr. Biden in these open-ended responses offers an early look at his legacy in the public’s mind.

Republicans, in particular, pointed to Mr. Biden’s mental state and age as the top thing they remember. Many Democrats relayed memories of Mr. Biden’s kindness and empathy, while others cited the economy, at times in a positive light and other times negatively. A quarter of respondents could not think of a memory at all or declined to share one.

Thinking back on Joe Biden’s presidency, what one thing do you remember most about his time in office?

Based on a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

Top 10 categories shown, excluding “don’t know” or blank responses.

In a separate question, nearly half of Americans said that Mr. Biden left the country worse off than when he took office, just one quarter felt he left it better off, and another 25 percent said things were the same as before he became president.

There was a partisan split on this question, too, but Black and Hispanic Americans were more likely to say Mr. Biden made things worse than better, and Americans 18 to 29 were twice as likely to say Mr. Biden left the country worse off than better off.

Memories of presidents are often not static, and can grow rosier over time, a phenomenon that played out after Mr. Trump’s first term. Here’s a closer look at Americans’ current views of Mr. Biden’s time in office.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was Biden’s age

“He usually didn’t have a clue what was going on around him”
Trump voter in 2024
“His declining health and confusion”
Trump voter
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“His dementia”
Trump voter
“He’s old”
Harris voter
“His performance in the debate was shocking”
Harris voter
“I think Joe Biden has a good heart, but he’s too old to be effective”
Harris voter
“He’s just not all there”
Did not vote
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Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

Many Americans remember Mr. Biden more for his personal characteristics than his policies. Fourteen percent cited his age or perceived mental decline as their most prominent memory, a greater share than any specific policy. Another 4 percent mentioned memories related to his empathy and kindness.

Concern about Mr. Biden’s cognition primarily came from Republicans, though some Democrats and independents also shared misgivings. Many specifically cited his debate performance, which proved to be a turning point in his aborted campaign, as their key memory of his time in office.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was the economy

“Gas prices skyrocketing”
Did not vote in 2024
“Out of control spending, reduced energy creation and inflation”
Trump voter
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“He worked hard for the middle class and added protections and laws to help most Americans”
Harris voter
“High gas prices”
Trump voter
“I honestly don’t know much of what Joe Biden did, but I know the economy has suffered”
Harris voter
“Inflation, inflation, inflation”
Trump voter
“Better economy”
Harris voter
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“Prices have gone way up”
Harris voter

Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

During the campaign, voters consistently cited the economy as their most important issue. As Americans look back on Mr. Biden’s time in office, many mentioned economic conditions as their principal recollection.

Republicans pointed to rising prices as the main impact of his presidency, while Democrats were largely more positive, citing the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, many Democrats and independents had concerns about the cost of living.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was immigration

“Open border”
Trump voter in 2024
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“The huge numbers of illegal immigrants that have entered the country”
Trump voter
“Unsafe borders, terrible economic policies, weak leadership”
Harris voter
“So many immigrants living on welfare”
Trump voter
“Immigration ran amok for several years and now it is too late to try and curtail the problem”
Harris voter
“His indifference to open borders”
Harris voter
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“Skyrocketing illegal immigration”
Did not vote

Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted from Jan. 2-10.

Mr. Trump made Mr. Biden’s immigration policy a core issue in his campaign to return to the White House. Border crossings rose during Mr. Biden’s presidency, creating the largest immigration surge in U.S. history (though crossings plummeted late in his term after he tightened enforcement).

Among Republicans, Mr. Biden’s immigration policies were among the most mentioned memories. These recollections were often expressed with evident frustration, and were frequently intertwined with economic concerns.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was foreign policy

“Getting out of Afghanistan. It was horrible”
Trump voter in 2024
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“His epic debate failure and his retreat from Afghanistan, sacrificing troops’ lives doing it”
Harris voter
“Continuing to send weapons overseas during the Israel and Palestine conflict and not allowing Ukraine to use them against Russia”
Harris voter
“His inability to tell Israel that genocide is wrong, no matter the provocation”
Did not vote
“More interested in foreign aid than the American people”
Trump voter
“Helping a lot outside the country”
Harris voter
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“War”
Harris voter
“Supporting war with billions”
Harris voter

Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

Americans who mentioned foreign policy mostly looked back on the Biden years as a time of war. Democrats and Republicans alike expressed concern about spending on foreign conflicts that they believed starved domestic spending. Overall, 60 percent of Americans in the survey said the United States was too focused on helping other countries and needed to focus more on problems at home.

Many cited the wars in Ukraine and Gaza as their main memory of Mr. Biden’s time in office. Democrats were especially likely to cite concerns about the deaths of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was pandemic recovery or legislative accomplishments

“Coming out of Covid, avoiding recession, dealing with global supply issues”
Harris voter in 2024
“He got us through the pandemic, he probably saved many people from dying of Covid”
Harris voter
“Covid stimulus and rebuilding the economy after Covid”
Harris voter
“He fixed us from Covid mess”
Did not vote
“Build back better”
Harris voter
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“Getting the bipartisan jobs act passed”
Harris voter
“Infrastructure”
Harris voter
“Forgiving student debt, Covid lockdowns”
Trump voter
“His attempt to unburden some of us with student loans”
Harris voter
“He forgave my loan”
Trump voter
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Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

Few Americans mentioned memories of the pandemic, but those who did remembered Mr. Biden’s work to help pull the country out of it. Many cited his work on the economic recovery after the pandemic and his efforts to avoid a recession.

Some, particularly Democrats, also cited key pieces of post-pandemic legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and infrastructure spending.

And for a handful, Mr. Biden’s student loan forgiveness was their key memory, including some who had firsthand experience.

Comments from Americans who said what they remembered most was corruption

“Corrupt”
Trump voter in 2024
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“Corruption to enrich him and his family”
Trump voter
“Endless scandals and fraud”
Trump voter
“He is a criminal”
Trump voter
“Pardoned his son, bad policies”
Did not vote
“Pardoning his son”
Did not vote
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“The lies and corruption”
Did not vote

Selected responses from a poll by The New York Times and Ipsos of 2,128 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 2-10.

A small but significant share of Republicans mentioned corruption, with many citing Mr. Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, as evidence.

Taken all together, these responses offer a snapshot in time as Mr. Biden leaves office. History shows that many former presidents later get a reputational boost. This was the case for George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. Time will tell if Mr. Biden will follow a similar path.

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Politics

Trump plans to meet with Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado next week

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Trump plans to meet with Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado next week

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he plans to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in Washington next week.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Trump was asked if he intends to meet with Machado after the U.S. struck Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro.

“Well, I understand she’s coming in next week sometime, and I look forward to saying hello to her,” Trump said.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado waves a national flag during a protest called by the opposition on the eve of the presidential inauguration, in Caracas on January 9, 2025. (JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

This will be Trump’s first meeting with Machado, who the U.S. president stated “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” to lead.

According to reports, Trump’s refusal to support Machado was linked to her accepting the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, which Trump believed he deserved.

But Trump later told NBC News that while he believed Machado should not have won the award, her acceptance of the prize had “nothing to do with my decision” about the prospect of her leading Venezuela.

Politics

California sues Trump administration over ‘baseless and cruel’ freezing of child-care funds

Published

4 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

California sues Trump administration over ‘baseless and cruel’ freezing of child-care funds

California is suing the Trump administration over its “baseless and cruel” decision to freeze $10 billion in federal funding for child care and family assistance allocated to California and four other Democratic-led states, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta announced Thursday.

The lawsuit was filed jointly by the five states targeted by the freeze — California, New York, Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado — over the Trump administration’s allegations of widespread fraud within their welfare systems. California alone is facing a loss of about $5 billion in funding, including $1.4 billion for child-care programs.

The lawsuit alleges that the freeze is based on unfounded claims of fraud and infringes on Congress’ spending power as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“This is just the latest example of Trump’s willingness to throw vulnerable children, vulnerable families and seniors under the bus if he thinks it will advance his vendetta against California and Democratic-led states,” Bonta said at a Thursday evening news conference.

The $10-billion funding freeze follows the administration’s decision to freeze $185 million in child-care funds to Minnesota, where federal officials allege that as much as half of the roughly $18 billion paid to 14 state-run programs since 2018 may have been fraudulent. Amid the fallout, Gov. Tim Walz has ordered a third-party audit and announced that he will not seek a third term.

Bonta said that letters sent by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announcing the freeze Tuesday provided no evidence to back up claims of widespread fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars in California. The freeze applies to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Social Services Block Grant program and the Child Care and Development Fund.

“This is funding that California parents count on to get the safe and reliable child care they need so that they can go to work and provide for their families,” he said. “It’s funding that helps families on the brink of homelessness keep roofs over their heads.”

Bonta also raised concerns regarding Health and Human Services’ request that California turn over all documents associated with the state’s implementation of the three programs. This requires the state to share personally identifiable information about program participants, a move Bonta called “deeply concerning and also deeply questionable.”

“The administration doesn’t have the authority to override the established, lawful process our states have already gone through to submit plans and receive approval for these funds,” Bonta said. “It doesn’t have the authority to override the U.S. Constitution and trample Congress’ power of the purse.”

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan and marked the 53rd suit California had filed against the Trump administration since the president’s inauguration last January. It asks the court to block the funding freeze and the administration’s sweeping demands for documents and data.

Politics

Video: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

Published

15 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Video: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

new video loaded: Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

transcript

Trump Says ‘Only Time Will Tell’ How Long U.S. Controls Venezuela

President Trump did not say exactly how long the the United states would control Venezuela, but said that it could last years.

: “How Long do you think you’ll be running Venezuela?” “Only time will tell. Like three months. six months, a year, longer?” “I would say much longer than that.” “Much longer, and, and —” “We have to rebuild. You have to rebuild the country, and we will rebuild it in a very profitable way. We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need. I would love to go, yeah. I think at some point, it will be safe.” “What would trigger a decision to send ground troops into Venezuela?” “I wouldn’t want to tell you that because I can’t, I can’t give up information like that to a reporter. As good as you may be, I just can’t talk about that.” “Would you do it if you couldn’t get at the oil? Would you do it —” “If they’re treating us with great respect. As you know, we’re getting along very well with the administration that is there right now.” “Have you spoken to Delcy Rodríguez?” “I don’t want to comment on that, but Marco speaks to her all the time.”
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