As of: 01/19/2022 11:27 p.m
US President Biden has been in the White House for a year – time for an interim assessment. While his approval ratings have fallen significantly in recent months, Biden sees “enormous progress”.
A year after taking office, US President Joe Biden has defended his administration’s record against criticism. At a press conference in the White House, Biden spoke of a year of challenges, but also of “tremendous progress”.
Among other things, the US President referred to the increase in the vaccination rate since he took office a year ago. With regard to the omicron variant of the corona virus, which is spreading rapidly in the USA, he said there was no reason to panic. The pandemic is now at a different level.
Biden also referred to economic successes. Six million new jobs were created during his reign. Unemployment and poverty have decreased, while wages have increased.
Approval for Biden falls
Biden’s approval ratings have dropped significantly, according to surveys, only 42 percent of Americans are satisfied with his work. “I know there is a lot of frustration in the country,” he said. Biden is under pressure, among other things, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which his administration has suffered setbacks in combating. While the unemployment rate has fallen close to pre-pandemic levels, inflation is a concern, with consumer prices in the United States rising at their highest rate in 40 years.
In terms of foreign policy, the debacle surrounding the US withdrawal from Afghanistan has damaged the president. Biden also failed to deliver on several key promises. So far, he has failed in Congress with plans for electoral law reforms and a legislative package for social and climate protection – although his Democrats have narrow majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the congressional elections in November, the Republicans could win back the majority in both chambers.
Democrat Biden took over the presidency from Republican Donald Trump on January 20, 2021. To this day, Trump sees himself deprived of victory by electoral fraud without any evidence, and he has never acknowledged his defeat. Trump’s camp failed with dozens of lawsuits against the result.
A year of Biden and the Americans – a mood picture from Oklahoma
Franziska Hoppen, ARD, Washington, January 19, 2022 11:19 p.m