President Joe Biden is closing out 2024 – and his presidency – nearly 20 points underwater in his job approval rating.
Americans have a severely negative view of the president, according to RealClearPolitics. Biden’s approval rating suffers from a 57% negative rating, while just 39% of Americans give positive feedback, leading to an 18-point difference, one of the highest of his presidency.
Biden has been underwater for most of his presidency. He began his term in January 2021 with a 20-point advantage, but months later, in August, his approval rating flipped negative during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Biden’s approval rating never recovered, and he remained underwater for the rest of his presidency.
Biden’s approval rating hit its lowest mark in July 2022, according to RealClearPolitics. The president was just a few more points underwater than now. Americans disapproved of Biden 58% to just 37% approval – a 21-point gap.
The low point of his presidency reflected deep dissatisfaction with him from within Biden’s own party. A New York Times/Siena College poll at the time found that barely over a quarter of Democratic voters supported renominating Biden for another term, with doubts about his age and disapproval of his performance as the leading justifications.
Biden’s age was a significant concern throughout his presidency. The president often made confusing remarks, appeared lost and depleted, and, in an echo of his 2020 campaign strategy, largely avoided press questions unless they were scripted.