Joe Biden served as the 46th President of the United States from January 20, 2021 to January 20, 2025. A Democrat, his administration prioritized COVID-19 recovery, economic relief, infrastructure investment, and climate policy with Kamala Harris as vice president.
Biden's presidency focused on managing the COVID-19 pandemic's aftermath and stabilizing the economy through the American Rescue Plan, while passing major legislation such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in infrastructure, clean energy, and health care.
On foreign policy he oversaw the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and led sustained U.S. support for Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion; his tenure emphasized restoring alliances, addressing global challenges, and shaping the federal judiciary with key appointments.
Passed the American Rescue Plan for COVID-19 relief (2021); Enacted the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021); Signed the Inflation Reduction Act advancing climate and health policy (2022); Oversaw the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan (2021); Led sustained U.S. support for Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion; Appointed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court
Key highlights and dated events associated with this presidency.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older.
On December 16, 2021, the Biden administration announced it would purchase 500 million additional Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine doses to donate to 92 lower‑income countries and the African Union, to be delivered in 2022.
President Biden hosted the opening session of the administration's inaugural virtual Summit for Democracy, convening heads of state, civil society and private-sector leaders to discuss threats to democracy and strategies to strengthen democratic institutions.
The Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 16 and 17.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to AstraZeneca's Evusheld for pre‑exposure prevention of COVID‑19 in certain immunocompromised and other high‑risk individuals.
The Biden administration announced that the United States would not send any diplomatic or official government representation to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing China's human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
On December 1 the CDC confirmed the first known U.S. infection with the SARS‑CoV‑2 Omicron variant in a fully vaccinated individual who had returned to California from South Africa.
Following reports of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the Biden administration announced travel restrictions on several southern African countries and additional testing measures for international travelers.
President Biden announced he would renominate Jerome Powell for a second term as Federal Reserve Chair and nominate Lael Brainard to serve as Vice Chair on the Fed Board.
The Democratic-controlled House approved the Build Back Better Act, advancing a wide-ranging package of social spending, climate and tax provisions championed by the Biden administration.
President Biden held a high-level video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss areas of U.S.-China competition and potential cooperation, including economic tensions and climate change.
President Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, authorizing roughly $1.2 trillion in federal infrastructure spending across transportation, broadband, water systems, and energy.