Joe Biden

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. ( () BY-dən; born November 20, 1942), commonly known as Joe Biden, is an American politician and lawyer who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. He was also the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and a United States senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Delaware. He studied at the University of Delaware and Syracuse University. In 1972, he was elected to the United States Senate at the age of 29. He was reelected six times and became chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Biden ran for president in 1988 and 2008 but ended both campaigns before the election. In 2008, Barack Obama chose Biden as his running mate. Obama and Biden won the 2008 election and were reelected in 2012.

In 2020, Biden became the Democratic nominee for president. He defeated Republican President Donald Trump in the November election and became president on January 20, 2021. At age 78, he was the oldest person to become president at the time and the second Catholic president after John F. Kennedy.

As president, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and signed a major infrastructure law. He appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to serve on the Court. He also supported policies to fight climate change and rejoined the Paris Agreement after Trump had withdrawn the United States from it.

Biden ended the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan in 2021. The withdrawal was followed by the collapse of the Afghan government and the return of the Taliban to power. Biden was criticized for how the withdrawal was handled.

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Biden responded by placing sanctions on Russia and providing military and economic aid to Ukraine. After Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, Biden expressed support for Israel while also calling for humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

Biden's presidency was also affected by high inflation and rising prices. His approval ratings were often low, and Republicans criticized his economic and immigration policies.

In 2023, classified documents from Biden's time as vice president were found at his home and former office. Special Counsel Robert Hur investigated the matter but did not recommend criminal charges against Biden.