Challenges Faced by Joe Biden: Obstacles and Turning Points

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Joe Biden's life and career.

Joe Biden is an American politician who served as the 46th President of the United States (2021-2025). A Democrat, he represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate from 1973 to 2009. Prior to his presidency, he served as the 47th Vice President under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. His career encompasses decades of public service in both the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1968: Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election was compared to Johnson's withdrawal

Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election was compared to Lyndon B. Johnson's withdrawal from the 1968 presidential election.

December 18, 1972: Death of wife and daughter

On December 18, 1972, Joe Biden's wife, Neilia, and one-year-old daughter, Naomi, were killed in a car accident. His sons Beau and Hunter were injured.

September 23, 1987: Withdrew from Presidential Candidacy

On September 23, 1987, Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination due to plagiarism accusations and false claims about his early life.

February 1988: Underwent Surgery for Intracranial Berry Aneurysm

In February 1988, Joe Biden underwent surgery to correct a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm and suffered a pulmonary embolism while recuperating.

1988: Unsuccessful Presidential Nomination Campaign

In 1988, Joe Biden ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination.

1991: Opposed the Gulf War

In 1991, Joe Biden opposed the Gulf War.

1992: Economy worse

In 2024, public perception of the economy was worse only in 2008 and 1992.

1993: Alleged sexual assault

In late March 2020, Tara Reade accused Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993.

January 3, 2008: Withdrew from 2008 Presidential Race

On January 3, 2008, Joe Biden placed fifth in the Iowa caucuses and withdrew from the 2008 presidential race that evening.

2008: Economy worse

In 2024, public perception of the economy was worse only in 2008 and 1992.

April 2009: Swine flu outbreak response causes controversy

In April 2009, Joe Biden's off-message response to a question during the beginning of the swine flu outbreak led to a swift retraction by the White House. This incident revived Biden's reputation for gaffes.

July 2009: Acknowledged economic challenges

In July 2009, confronted with rising unemployment, Joe Biden acknowledged that the administration had "misread how bad the economy was", but maintained confidence the stimulus package would create more jobs.

May 2011: Opposed Osama bin Laden mission

In May 2011, Joe Biden reportedly opposed proceeding with the U.S. mission to kill Osama bin Laden, lest failure adversely affect Obama's reelection prospects.

August 2012: Controversial remark

In August 2012, Joe Biden made a remark before a mixed-race audience that Republican proposals to relax Wall Street regulations would "put y'all back in chains" again drawing attention to his propensity for colorful remarks.

2013: Biden's Memory Lapses

During the investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents, special counsel Robert Hur noted that Joe Biden could not recall when he stopped being vice president ("if it was 2013—when did I stop being vice president?") or the date of his son Beau's death. Hur described Biden's memory as having "significant limitations".

2014: The New Yorker noted Biden's tendency to exaggerate

In 2014, The New Yorker noted Joe Biden's tendency to embellish elements of his life or exaggerate details, a trait also highlighted by The New York Times.

April 2019: Pledged to be more respectful of personal space

In April 2019, following accusations of inappropriate physical contact, Joe Biden pledged to be more "respectful of people's personal space".

September 2019: Controversy with Ukrainian President

In September 2019, it was reported that Donald Trump had pressured Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate alleged wrongdoing by Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, resulting in a political scandal and Trump's impeachment.

2019: Accusations of inappropriate physical contact

In 2019, eight women, including Tara Reade, accused Joe Biden of inappropriate physical contact.

March 2020: Tara Reade accuses Biden of sexual assault

In late March 2020, Tara Reade, who had previously accused Biden of inappropriate physical contact in 2019, accused him of sexual assault, allegedly occurring in 1993. Biden and his campaign denied the allegation, citing inconsistencies in Reade's claims.

2020: Biden Promised to End Private Prison Practice

In the final year of his presidency, the Biden administration worked to extend at least 14 contracts with private prison companies to run immigrant detention centers, despite his 2020 campaign promise to end the practice.

January 6, 2021: Attack on the U.S. Capitol

On January 6, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building while Congress was assembled to count the electoral votes and formalize Biden's victory. During the attack, Biden addressed the nation, calling the events "an unprecedented assault unlike anything we've seen in modern times".

July 2021: Biden urges COVID-19 vaccinations amid Delta variant spread

In July 2021, amid a slowing of the COVID-19 vaccination rate in the country and the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, Biden emphasized the critical importance of Americans getting vaccinated.

August 2021: Biden's approval rating began to decline

In August 2021, Joe Biden's approval rating began to decline due to the Afghanistan withdrawal, increasing hospitalizations from the Delta variant, high inflation and gas prices, disarray within the Democratic Party, and a general decline in popularity.

2021: Surge in Illegal Border Crossings Begins

In 2021, illegal border crossings at the Mexico-United States border began to surge when President Biden assumed office.

2021: The 2021 inflation surge overshadowed Biden's presidency

The 2021 inflation surge overshadowed Joe Biden's presidency, much like the 1970s energy crisis and stagflation overshadowed Jimmy Carter's presidency.

June 2022: Inflation Peak

In June 2022, inflation peaked at 9.1% during Biden's presidency, which contributed to the decline of his approval ratings.

July 21, 2022: Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19

On July 21, 2022, Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced mild symptoms. According to the White House, he was treated with Paxlovid. He worked in isolation in the White House for five days and returned to isolation when he tested positive again on July 30.

November 2022: Discovery of Classified Documents at Penn Biden Center

In November 2022, President Biden's attorneys found classified documents dating from his vice presidency in a "locked closet" at the Penn Biden Center. The documents were reported to the U.S. National Archives, which recovered them the next day.

January 11, 2023: House Investigative Committee into Hunter Biden's Business Activities

On January 11, 2023, the House of Representatives launched an investigative committee into the foreign business activities of President Biden's son, Hunter, and brother, James.

March 2023: Biden Opposes Taxpayer Bailout After Bank Failures

In March 2023, following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and other U.S. banks, President Biden opposed a taxpayer bailout. He attributed the bank's failure, in part, to the rollback of Dodd-Frank regulations.

October 2023: Biden's rating among Democrats reached a record low

By October 2023, Joe Biden's approval rating among Democrats had fallen to a record low of 75%.

October 2023: Hamas Attack on Israel and U.S. Response

In October 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, leading to intensified conflict. President Biden stated his support for Israel, condemned Hamas, deployed aircraft carriers to the region, and requested $14 billion in military aid for Israel. He later pressured Israel to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and supported "humanitarian pauses."

December 13, 2023: House Formalizes Impeachment Inquiry into Biden

On December 13, 2023, the House of Representatives voted 221–212 to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

December 2023: Illegal Border Crossings Reach Monthly High

In December 2023, illegal border crossings at the Mexico-United States border reached an all-time monthly high.

2023: Biden Removes Basal-Cell Carcinoma

In 2023, Joe Biden had a basal-cell carcinoma removed from his chest.

2023: Biden's approval rating was the lowest of any modern U.S. president

In 2023, Joe Biden's approval rating was recorded as the lowest of any modern U.S. president after three years in office.

2023: The 2021-2023 inflation surge overshadowed Biden's presidency

The 2021-2023 inflation surge overshadowed Joe Biden's presidency, much like the 1970s energy crisis and stagflation overshadowed Jimmy Carter's presidency.

January 17, 2024: House Passes Resolution Denouncing Biden's Border Handling

On January 17, 2024, a Republican-led non-binding resolution denouncing the Biden-Harris administration's handling of the U.S. southern border passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 225–187.

February 29, 2024: Killing of Palestinian Civilians Receiving Aid

Following the killing of Palestinian civilians receiving food aid on February 29, 2024, President Biden stated that the level of aid flowing into Gaza was insufficient.

March 2024: Gallup Poll on Israeli Conduct During War

In March 2024, a Gallup poll indicated that a strong majority of Americans disapproved of Israeli conduct during the war.

April 2024: Gaza War Protests on University Campuses

Beginning in April 2024, widespread protests against the Gaza war emerged on university campuses, denouncing President Biden.

June 2024: Mental Acuity Concerns

In June 2024, public concern grew regarding Joe Biden's mental acuity following a perceived weak performance in a presidential debate. While the media gave it limited coverage beforehand, concerns rose afterward, leading Biden to suggest he might be too old for a second term after the 2024 election, despite initially deeming himself fit.

June 27, 2024: Presidential Debate Performance

On June 27, 2024, the first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump was held. Joe Biden's performance received widespread criticism, with commentators noting that he frequently lost his train of thought and gave rambling answers. Many declared Trump the winner, and polling indicated that most viewers believed Trump won. Following the debate, questions arose about Joe Biden's health and age, leading to calls for him to withdraw from the race.

July 2024: Biden's approval rating fell to an all-time low

In July 2024, just before withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election, Joe Biden's Gallup approval rating had fallen to an all-time low of 36%.

July 17, 2024: Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19 Again

On July 17, 2024, Joe Biden again tested positive for COVID-19.

September 25, 2024: House Resolution Condemning Afghanistan Withdrawal

On September 25, 2024, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the Biden administration for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, with ten Democrats and all Republicans voting in favor.

December 2024: Gallup poll found negative assessments of Biden's presidency

A December 2024 Gallup poll revealed that 54% of Americans considered Joe Biden's presidency to be below average or poor, with negative assessments largely focused on economic, national, and international issues.

2024: Inflation Frustration Deemed Biden's Failure

In 2024, Journalist Amy Walter argued that Joe Biden's presidency was deemed a failure by the public, particularly due to frustration over inflation, which voters considered the most important factor regarding the economy. This contributed to Trump winning the 2024 presidential election.

2024: Harris lost to Trump in the 2024 presidential election

In 2024, Kamala Harris lost to Donald Trump in the presidential election, contributing to the view of Joe Biden's presidency as a failure.

2024: Withdrawal from Presidential Candidacy

In 2024, after renewed scrutiny about his age and health following his performance in the first presidential debate, Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy for reelection, although he initially ran and became the party's presumptive nominee. Biden's administration was also ranked favorably by historians and scholars, diverging from unfavorable public assessments of his tenure.

January 2025: Biden Claims He Could Have Won

In a January 2025 interview, Joe Biden claimed that he could have defeated Donald Trump had he not been persuaded to withdraw from the election, despite trailing in the polls.

May 18, 2025: Biden Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

On May 18, 2025, it was announced that Joe Biden had been diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer with bone metastasis, discovered during a routine physical examination. The cancer had spread from his prostate to other tissues in his body, and his urinary symptoms had also worsened.

September 4, 2025: Biden Undergoes Mohs Surgery

On September 4, 2025, it was confirmed that Joe Biden recently underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions from his forehead. The announcement followed his appearance with a scar and bandage after a church service in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

October 11, 2025: Biden Undergoing Cancer Treatment

On October 11, 2025, it was confirmed that Joe Biden was undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment as part of his ongoing care for prostate cancer.

2025: Oldest Sitting President

As of 2025, Joe Biden was the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, with concerns raised about his cognitive health by Republicans, some media figures, and privately by some Democrats. His family and White House staff were noted to be shielding him from scrutiny related to his age and perceived decline in acuity.

2025: Biden left office with his presidency viewed as a failure

When Joe Biden left office in 2025, journalists and many Democrats viewed his presidency as a failure, citing concerns over age, health, public frustration with inflation, and Kamala Harris's loss to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.