In a speech, Biden criticized Trump’s economic plan and expressed hope that the incoming president would build on the progress he has made.
WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden delivered a speech on Dec. 10 highlighting his economic achievements as he nears the final days of his presidency. He also expressed hope that the incoming Trump administration would “preserve and build on” his progress.
Biden delivered his remarks at the Brookings Institution in Washington, defending his economic plan, which focuses on “growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”
“We got back to full employment, got inflation back down, and managed a soft landing that most people thought was not very much likely to happen,” he said.
“Most economists agree a new administration is going to inherit a fairly strong economy.”
Biden said his agenda, which prioritized investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, has not yet been fully felt by Americans but that its benefits will become more visible over the coming years.
“I know it’s been hard for many Americans to see, and I understand it,” he said.
He defended his economic record by saying he took over the economy during a financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and transformed it into the “strongest economy in the world.”
He said his goal was not simply to get the United States out of the economic crisis but also to put the country on a stronger course for the future.
“After decades of sending jobs overseas for the cheapest labor possible, companies are coming back to America, investing and building here and creating jobs here in America,” Biden said.
In November, the outgoing president received a job approval rating of 37 percent, one of his lowest since taking office, according to Gallup. Since 1956, only former President Jimmy Carter has had a lower approval rating, at 31 percent.
Biden’s approval ratings have fallen amid criticism over his handling of the economy, the Israel–Hamas war, and the U.S. border crisis. Recently, he also faced backlash for pardoning his son Hunter Biden after having said on multiple occasions that he wouldn’t, a move that drew criticism even from members of his party.
By Emel Akan
