🚂Joe Biden

46th President · 2021–2025 · Democratic

Joe Biden was the oldest person ever elected president — 78 when inaugurated on January 20, 2021. He served as a U.S. senator from Delaware for 36 years before eight years as Barack Obama's Vice President. He won the 2020 election against incumbent Donald Trump, then withdrew from the 2024 race in July 2024 after concerns about his age and a debate performance with Trump. His Vice President Kamala Harris replaced him on the ticket but lost to Trump.

Long Career

Biden was elected to the New Castle County Council at 27 and to the U.S. Senate at 29 — the sixth-youngest senator in American history. Tragedy struck weeks after his election when his wife Neilia and daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident. Biden served 36 years in the Senate, chairing the Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 1988 and 2008 before Barack Obama picked him as running mate. He served eight years as Vice President.

2020 Election

Biden launched his third presidential campaign in April 2019. After a difficult start in the early primaries, he rebounded decisively with a South Carolina victory in February 2020 and swept Super Tuesday. He picked California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate — the first Black woman and first South Asian American on a major-party presidential ticket. Biden defeated incumbent Donald Trump by roughly 7 million popular votes and 306 to 232 in the Electoral College.

Inauguration and First Year

Biden was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, two weeks after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. His first year saw the signing of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (pandemic relief), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and a rapid vaccine rollout. He also oversaw the chaotic August 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war.

Major Legislation

Despite razor-thin Democratic margins in Congress, Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act (2022), the first major federal gun safety law in decades (2022), and the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) — a climate and health care bill that included the largest U.S. investment in clean energy ever. He also approved the largest student loan forgiveness in American history, much of which was later struck down by the Supreme Court.

Withdrawal and Transition

After a halting performance in a June 27, 2024 debate with Donald Trump, Biden faced intensifying Democratic pressure to leave the race. On July 21, 2024, he announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed Vice President Harris. Harris lost the November 2024 election to Trump. Biden continued in office until January 20, 2025 — making him a one-term president who did not lose re-election but rather declined to seek it.

Biden Trivia

• Biden was the oldest person ever elected U.S. president when he won in 2020 at age 77.
• He was the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy.
• His son Beau Biden, Delaware's attorney general, died of brain cancer in 2015.
• His dog Major was the first rescue dog to live in the White House.
• Biden had run for president three times across 32 years before winning.

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