Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Joe Biden

Public opinion and media debates around Joe Biden—discover key moments of controversy.

Joe Biden is an American politician who served as the 46th U.S. President (2021-2025). A Democrat, he was the 47th Vice President under Barack Obama (2009-2017) and a U.S. Senator representing Delaware (1973-2009). His career spans decades in public service, holding significant roles in both the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government.

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

1976: Supported Measure Forbidding Federal Funds for Busing

In 1976, Joe Biden supported a measure forbidding the use of federal funds for transporting students beyond the school closest to them, as part of the debate around race-integration busing.

1976: Borrowed passage by Hubert Humphrey

Two years earlier than the events leading to him withdrawing from his candidacy, in 1976 Joe Biden had used a passage by Hubert Humphrey. He claimed that politicians often borrow from one another without giving credit.

1977: Co-sponsored Amendment Closing Busing Loopholes

In 1977, Joe Biden co-sponsored an amendment closing loopholes in the measure forbidding the use of federal funds for transporting students beyond the school closest to them.

1978: Busing Amendment Signed into Law

In 1978, the amendment closing loopholes in the measure forbidding the use of federal funds for transporting students beyond the school closest to them, co-sponsored by Joe Biden, was signed into law by President Carter.

1988: Presided over Robert Bork Supreme Court confirmation hearing

In 1988, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Joe Biden presided over the highly contentious U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Robert Bork. Biden reversed his previous approval of a hypothetical Bork nomination. Despite anger from conservatives, Biden was praised for his fairness, humor, and courage during the hearings, framing his objections to Bork in terms of constitutional interpretation. Bork's nomination was rejected.

1991: Oversaw Clarence Thomas's nomination hearings

In 1991, Joe Biden oversaw Clarence Thomas's nomination hearings. His questions were often convoluted, and after the committee hearing closed, Anita Hill accused Thomas of making unwelcome sexual comments. Biden's handling of the situation drew criticism.

1993: Voted to ban gay people from military service

In 1993, Joe Biden voted for a provision that deemed homosexuality incompatible with military life, effectively banning gay people from serving in the armed forces. This stance reflected the prevailing attitudes of the time regarding LGBTQ+ rights.

1993: Tara Reade's Alleged Sexual Assault

In late March 2020, Tara Reade, one of the eight women who in 2019 had accused Joe Biden of inappropriate physical contact, accused Biden of having sexually assaulted her in 1993. There were inconsistencies between Reade's 2019 and 2020 allegations.

1994: Passage of Crime Bill and Violence Against Women Act

In 1994, Joe Biden helped pass the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which included a ban on assault weapons, and the Violence Against Women Act.

1996: Voted for the Defense of Marriage Act

In 1996, Joe Biden voted for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages and allowed states to do the same. This action barred people in same-sex marriages from equal protection under federal law. This decision has been a point of contention in his career.

October 2002: Voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq

In October 2002, Joe Biden, as head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq, approving the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Biden later called this role a "mistake".

2005: Voted for Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act

In 2005, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act passed, with Joe Biden being one of only 18 Democrats to vote for it. This legislation had been vetoed by Bill Clinton in 2000 and was opposed by leading Democrats and consumer rights organizations.

April 2009: Swine Flu Outbreak Response

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 and revived his reputation for gaffes.

March 23, 2010: "A Big Fucking Deal" Remark

On March 23, 2010, a hot mic picked up Joe Biden telling President Obama that his signing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was "a big fucking deal".

August 2012: Remarks on Wall Street Regulations

In August 2012, during the reelection campaign, Joe Biden made a controversial remark to a mixed-race audience stating that Republican proposals to relax Wall Street regulations would "put y'all back in chains". This drew attention to his tendency for colorful language.

2014: The New Yorker on Biden's embellishments

According to The New Yorker in 2014, Biden often embellishes elements of his life or exaggerates.

2014: Hunter Biden Joins Burisma Board

In 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, leading to allegations of trading on the family name and selling access to his father, which some believe influenced the scope of his later pardon.

2014: Scope of Pardons Extended to 2014

On his last day in office, President Biden issued pardons for family members and other high-profile figures, covering federal offenses committed or potentially committed between 2014 and the pardon date.

2018: Biden calls himself "a gaffe machine"

Biden has a reputation for being prone to gaffes, and in 2018 called himself "a gaffe machine".

March 2019: Accusations of Inappropriate Physical Contact

In March 2019, eight women accused Joe Biden of inappropriate physical contact, such as embracing, touching, or kissing.

April 2019: Pledge to Respect Personal Space

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

September 2019: Trump Pressures Zelenskyy

In September 2019, it was reported that President 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: Called Role in Passing Crime Bill a "Big Mistake"

In 2019, Joe Biden called his role in passing the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act a "big mistake", saying it "trapped an entire generation".

2019: Regretted his treatment of Anita Hill

In 2019, Joe Biden told Anita Hill he regretted his treatment of her during Clarence Thomas's nomination hearings in 1991. However, Hill stated afterward that she remained unsatisfied with his apology.

2019: Tara Reade's Accusation of Inappropriate Physical Contact

March 2020: Tara Reade's Sexual Assault Accusation

In late March 2020, Tara Reade, who had accused Joe Biden of inappropriate physical contact in 2019, accused Biden of having sexually assaulted her in 1993. Biden and his campaign denied the sexual assault allegation.

November 2020: Biden Elected President

In November 2020, Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States, defeating incumbent Donald Trump. Trump made false claims of widespread electoral fraud, delaying Biden's transition until November 23, when Emily W. Murphy formally recognized Biden as the winner and authorized the transition process.

2020: Campaign Promise to End Private Prison Contracts

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

January 6, 2021: Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, after Pence refused to cooperate with Trump's plan to overturn the election results, Trump urged his supporters to march to the Capitol. The building was stormed, interrupting the electoral vote count. Biden addressed the nation, calling the events "an unprecedented assault".

2021: Biden Revokes Trump's Security Clearance

In 2021, Biden revoked Trump's security clearance after the January 6 Capitol attack.

September 2, 2022: Biden's Speech on the Soul of the Nation

On September 2, 2022, President Biden delivered a nationally broadcast speech in Philadelphia calling for a "battle for the soul of the nation". He also referred to Trump supporters as "semi-fascists", sparking criticism. The midterm election results were closer than expected, with Republicans securing a slim House majority and Democrats retaining Senate control.

September 2022: Biden's Statement on Defending Taiwan

In a September 2022 interview with 60 Minutes, Biden stated that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of "an unprecedented attack" by China, contrasting with the U.S. policy of "strategic ambiguity."

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November 2022: Discovery of Classified Documents at Penn Biden Center

In November 2022, 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 Launches Investigation into Biden's Family's Business Activities

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

March 2023: Bank Failures Trigger Response

In March 2023, the failure of three U.S. banks triggered a decline in global bank stock prices. After Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, Biden expressed opposition to a taxpayer bailout.

October 2023: Record High Domestic Oil Production

Despite his clean energy policies and congressional Republicans characterizing them as a "War on American Energy", domestic oil production reached a record high in October 2023.

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

In October 2023, following the Hamas attack on Israel, Biden affirmed U.S. support for Israel, deployed aircraft carriers, and requested $14 billion in military aid. He pressured Israel to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and supported "humanitarian pauses".

December 13, 2023: House Formalizes Impeachment Inquiry

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

December 2023: No Evidence of Wrongdoing

Congressional investigations, including by the House Oversight committee, have discovered no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden as of December 2023.

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

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

February 2024: Smirnov Charged with Making False Statements

In February 2024, Alexander Smirnov, a former intelligence informant prominent in bribery allegations against Biden, was charged with making false statements. Smirnov admitted he publicized a false story given to him by Russian intelligence officials with the goal of damaging Biden's reelection campaign.

February 29, 2024: Biden on Aid to Gaza

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

March 2024: American Disapproval of Israeli Conduct

A March 2024 Gallup poll found 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 Gaza war protests emerged on university campuses, denouncing Biden.

May 2024: Biden's Continued Support for Israel

As of May 2024, Biden continued to support Israel during the war, despite domestic opposition and protests.

May 31, 2024: Biden Supports Israeli Ceasefire Proposal

On May 31, 2024, Biden announced his support for an Israeli ceasefire proposal, which would establish a permanent ceasefire, release all hostages, and reconstruct the Gaza Strip, stating that Hamas was "no longer capable" of another large-scale attack.

June 2024: Public Concern About Biden's Mental Acuity

Following a weak performance in a June 2024 presidential debate, the media widely covered public concern about Biden's mental acuity. Special counsel Robert Hur suggested that Biden would be able to present himself to a jury as an "elderly man with poor memory" and wrote that his memory "appeared to have significant limitations".

June 2024: Biden Issues Amnesty Executive Action

In June 2024, Biden issued an executive action offering amnesty to unauthorized immigrants married to American citizens, including a pathway to U.S. residency and citizenship, expected to initially affect about 500,000 people. It was later struck down.

June 27, 2024: Biden's Performance in the First Presidential Debate

On June 27, 2024, the first presidential debate was held between Biden and Trump. Biden's performance was widely criticized due to him frequently losing his train of thought and giving meandering answers. Several newspaper columnists declared Trump the winner, and polling indicated the majority of viewers believed Trump won. After the debate raised questions about his health and age, Biden faced calls to withdraw from the race.

September 25, 2024: House Resolution Condemning Biden Administration

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

December 1, 2024: Pardon Issued to Hunter Biden

On December 1, 2024, President Biden issued a "full and unconditional" pardon to Hunter Biden, covering all federal offenses between 2014 and December 1, 2024.

December 12, 2024: Clemency Granted to Nonviolent Felons

On December 12, 2024, President Biden granted clemency to about 1,500 nonviolent felons in home confinement who had previously been released from prison, marking the largest single-day clemency act in history.

December 2024: Biden Pardoned Hunter Biden

In December 2024, Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden following his conviction on gun and tax charges.

2024: Criticism and Calls for Withdrawal

In 2024, many members of Joe Biden's party called on him to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election and criticized him for initially running for a second term given his age and unpopularity after Kamala Harris lost.

January 2025: Biden Declares ERA Ratified

In January 2025, Biden declared the lapsed Equal Rights Amendment ratified as the "28th Amendment" to the constitution. The declaration has no formal effect.

February 7, 2025: Trump Revokes Biden's Security Clearance

On February 7, 2025, Trump revoked Biden's security clearance, ending his access to classified information. The White House said the decision was part of a broader review of security clearances for former officials.