View source for History:Presidency of Joe Biden

{{short description|U.S. presidential administration from 2021 to present}}
{{for timeline|Timeline of the Joe Biden presidency}}
{{Infobox administration
| name           = Presidency of Joe Biden
| image          = Joe Biden presidential portrait.jpg
| caption        = 
| term_start     = January 20, 2021
| term_end       =
| president_link = President of the United States
| cabinet        = ''See list''
| party          = Democratic
| election       = 2020
| predecessor    = Donald Trump
| successor      =
| seat           = White House
| official_url   = http://joebiden.com
}}
Joe Biden's tenure as the 46th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2021.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Martin|first1=Jonathan|last2=Burns|first2=Alexander|date=November 7, 2020|title=Biden Wins Presidency, Ending Four Tumultuous Years Under Trump|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/us/politics/biden-election.html|access-date=November 7, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=November 7, 2020|title=When is inauguration day 2021?: Here's when president-elect Joe Biden will take office|url=https://www.pennlive.com/elections/2020/11/when-is-inauguration-day-2021-heres-when-president-elect-joe-biden-will-take-office.html|access-date=November 7, 2020 |website=Penn Live}}</ref> Biden, a Democrat from Delaware who previously served as Vice President under [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]], took office following his victory in the 2020 presidential election over Donald Trump. He was inaugurated alongside Kamala Harris, the first woman, first African American, and first Asian American vice president.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kamala Harris becomes first female, first black and first Asian-American VP |work=BBC News |date=January 20, 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55738741 |access-date=March 21, 2021}}</ref> Biden entered office amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an economic crisis, and increased [[Social:Political polarization|political polarization]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Farley|first1=Robert|last2=Gore|first2=D'Angelo|last3=Jackson|first3=Brooks|date=January 20, 2021|url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/fact-check-what-president-biden-inherits/2448953/|title=Fact Check: What President Biden Inherits|agency=NBC Bay Area|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

On the first day of his presidency, Biden made an effort to revert President Trump's energy policy by restoring U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement and revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. He also halted funding for [[Engineering:Trump wall|Trump's border wall]], an expansion of the Mexican border wall.<ref name=":0"/> On his second day, he issued a series of executive orders to reduce the impact of [[Medicine:COVID-19|COVID-19]], including invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950, and set an early goal of achieving one hundred million [[Medicine:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccinations]] in the {{wipe|United States}} in his first 100 days.<ref name=":3"/> There have been efforts to impeach him, but they do not have widespead congessional support.

Early in his presidency, Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes against Syrian buildings used by Iranian militias to stage rocket attacks against U.S. targets in Iraq.<ref name=":8"/> On March 11, 2021, he signed his first major bill into law—the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021—a $1.9 trillion [[Finance:Stimulus (economics)|stimulus bill]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Segers|first=Grace|date=March 12, 2021|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-signs-covid-relief-bill-american-rescue-plan-into-law/|title=Biden signs $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law|agency=CBS News|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> He also has proposed investments known as the [[Earth:Build Back Better Plan|Build Back Better Plan]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Luhby|first1=Tami|last2=Lobosco|first2=Katie|last3=Sullivan|first3=Katie|date=March 31, 2021|url= https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/politics/infrastructure-proposal-biden-explainer/index.html|title=Here's What's in Biden's infrastructure proposal|agency=CNN|accessdate=August 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tankersley|first1=Jim|last2=Goldstein|first2=Dianne|date=April 28, 2021|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/us/politics/biden-american-families-plan.html |title= Biden Details $1.8 Trillion Plan for Workers, Students and Families |agency=The New York Times|accessdate=August 11, 2021}}</ref> which includes increased funding for infrastructure, manufacturing, research and development, [[Earth:Climate change|climate change]] mitigation and expansion of the Social Safety Net.

==2020 election==
[[File:ElectoralCollege2020 with results.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|2020 electoral vote results]]
Biden announced his candidacy in April 2019, having previously sought the Democratic nomination in 1988 and 2008, being unsuccessful both times.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohn|first=Nate|date=July 16, 2020|title=One Year From Election, Trump Trails Biden but Leads Warren in Battlegrounds|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/upshot/trump-biden-warren-polls.html|access-date=November 8, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

On November 7, four days after Election Day, Biden was projected to have defeated the incumbent president Donald Trump, becoming president-elect of the United States<ref>{{cite web|date=November 7, 2020|title=Biden wins White House, vowing new direction for divided US|url=https://apnews.com/article/fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9 |access-date=November 7, 2020|work=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="Epstein">{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Epstein |title=Biden Transition Team Calls on Federal Agency to Declare Winner|date=November 10, 2020 |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-10/biden-transition-team-calls-on-federal-agency-to-declare-winner|access-date=November 18, 2020|quote=Biden was declared the winner by media organizations after securing enough electoral votes.|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118021042/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-10/biden-transition-team-calls-on-federal-agency-to-declare-winner|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Budryk">{{cite news|first=Zack|last=Budryk|title=Biden campaign pushes GSA chief to approve transition|date=November 9, 2020|work=The Hill|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/525083-biden-campaign-pushes-gsa-chief-to-approve-transition|access-date=November 18, 2020|quote=Major media outlets projected Biden as the president-elect Saturday.|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119023751/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/525083-biden-campaign-pushes-gsa-chief-to-approve-transition|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite news|first=Bess|last=Levin|title=THE TRUMP APPOINTEE BLOCKING BIDEN'S TRANSITION IS REPORTEDLY TRYING TO LINE UP A NEW JOB FOR 2021|date=November 16, 2020|work=Vanity Fair|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/11/emily-murphy-joe-biden-transition|access-date=November 18, 2020|quote=But 13 days after the 2020 election and more than a week after all major media outlets called the race for Joe Biden, with Trump having absolutely no chance of getting a second term, Murphy has refused to acknowledge that Biden won, making it that much more difficult for the president-elect and his team to get a head start on crucial matters like a pandemic that has killed more than 245,000 people in the U.S. so far and stands to kill a lot more if no one does anything about it until January 2021.|archive-date=November 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117185415/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/11/emily-murphy-joe-biden-transition|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Young">{{cite news|last=Young|first=Robin|date=November 9, 2020|title=In Unprecedented Move, Key Federal Agency Hesitates On Declaring Biden Winner|publisher=WBUR-FM|url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/11/09/biden-trump-transition-of-power|url-status=live|access-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109204014/https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/11/09/biden-trump-transition-of-power|archive-date=November 9, 2020|quote=The answer is no, and I think you rightly note that this is different than what occurred in 2000 [in the Al Gore vs. George W. Bush race], there is a consensus certainly on the media side and with the states that are at play.}}</ref> with 306 of the total 538 electoral votes, and 81,268,924 popular votes versus 74,216,154 votes for Trump. Shortly afterwards, the Trump campaign launched several lawsuits against the results in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Nevada and Michigan, raising unevidenced claims of widespread voter fraud that were subsequently dismissed by several courts.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Voreacos|first1=David|last2=Stohr|first2=Greg|last3=Niquette|first3=Mark|date=November 9, 2020 |title=Trump's Legal Blitz Isn't Contesting Enough Votes to Win |work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-09/trump-campaign-s-legal-blitz-isn-t-targeting-enough-votes-to-win|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=November 13, 2020|title=US election 2020: What legal challenges is Trump planning?|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54724960|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref>

==Transition period and inauguration==
[[File:210120-Z-NI803-1735 (50885517087).jpg|thumb|U.S. National Guard soldiers at the Capitol, January 20, 2021]]
Though Biden was generally acknowledged as the winner,<ref name="Epstein"/><ref name="Budryk"/><ref name="auto"/><ref name="Young"/> General Services Administration head Emily W. Murphy initially refused to begin the transition to the president-elect, thereby denying funds and office space to his team.<ref name="washingtonpost1">{{cite news |last1=Rein|first1=Lisa|last2=O'Connell|first2=Jonathan|last3=Dawsey|first3=Josh|title=A little-known Trump appointee is in charge of handing transition resources to Biden – and she isn't budging|work={{wipe|The Washington Post}} |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-gsa-letter-biden-transition/2020/11/08/07093acc-21e9-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html|access-date=November 9, 2020|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109100819/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-gsa-letter-biden-transition/2020/11/08/07093acc-21e9-11eb-8672-c281c7a2c96e_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Collinson |first1=Stephen |title=Alarm grows over Trump administration acting 'more akin to a dictatorship' as he denies election defeat |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/politics/donald-trump-joe-biden-transition/index.html |website=CNN |publisher=CNN |access-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111055831/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/11/politics/donald-trump-joe-biden-transition/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 23, after Michigan certified its results, Murphy issued the letter of ascertainment, granting the Biden transition team access to federal funds and resources for an orderly transition.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Daly |first1=Matthew |last2=Jalonick |first2=Mary Clare |title=GSA ascertains Joe Biden is 'apparent winner' of election, clears way for the transition from Trump administration to formally begin |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-gsa-joe-biden-transition-20201123-fqs77zryxzac5lysm2wscrmpiy-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=November 23, 2020 |access-date=November 23, 2020 |archive-date=November 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201123232731/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/ct-gsa-joe-biden-transition-20201123-fqs77zryxzac5lysm2wscrmpiy-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Two days after becoming the projected winner of the 2020 election, Biden announced the formation of a task force to advise him on the COVID-19 pandemic during the transition, co-chaired by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former FDA commissioner David A. Kessler, and Yale University's Marcella Nunez-Smith.<ref>{{cite web|author=Sarah Mucha and Eric Bradner|title=Biden transition team announces coronavirus advisers, including whistleblower Rick Bright|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/09/politics/biden-coronavirus-advisers-experts-rick-bright/index.html|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=CNN}}</ref>

On January 5, 2021, the Democratic Party won control of the United States Senate, effective January 20, as a result of electoral victories in Georgia by Jon Ossoff in a runoff election for a six-year term and Raphael Warnock in a special runoff election for a two-year term.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dennis |first1=Steven T. |last2=House |first2=Billy |last3=Flatley |first3=Daniel |title=Democrats Win U.S. Senate as Ossoff Tops Perdue in Georgia Sweep |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-06/democrats-win-u-s-senate-as-ossoff-tops-perdue-in-georgia-sweep |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |date=January 6, 2021 |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |access-date=April 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Deirdre |last2=Snell |first2=Kelsey |title=Democrats Take Control Of Senate With Twin Georgia Victories |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953712195/democrats-move-closer-to-senate-control-as-counting-continues-in-georgia |newspaper=NPR |date=January 6, 2021 |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=April 6, 2021}}</ref> President-elect Biden had supported and campaigned for both candidates prior to the runoff elections on January 5.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Alana |title='The Power Is Literally In Your Hands': Biden Urges Georgians To Vote Tuesday |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/04/953359767/the-power-is-literally-in-your-hands-biden-urges-georgians-to-vote-tuesday |newspaper=NPR |date=January 4, 2021 |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=April 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sullivan |first1=Kate |title=Biden appears in campaign ad for Georgia's Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/17/politics/biden-campaign-ad-ossoff-warnock/index.html |website=CNN Politics |publisher=Cable News Network |access-date=April 6, 2021}}</ref>

On January 6, a mob of thousands of Trump supporters violently broke into the Capitol in the hope of overturning Biden's election, forcing Congress to evacuate during the counting of the Electoral College votes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tan |first1=Rebecca |last2=Jamison |first2=Peter |last3=Leonnig |first3=Carol D. |last4=Flynn |first4=Meagan |last5=Cox |first5=John Woodrow |title=Trump supporters storm U.S. Capitol, with one woman killed and tear gas fired |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trump-supporters-storm-capitol-dc/2021/01/06/58afc0b8-504b-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html |access-date=March 10, 2021 |work=The Washington Post |date=January 6, 2021}}</ref> More than 26,000 National Guard members were deployed to the capital for the inauguration, with thousands remaining into the spring.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Helsel |first1=Phil |last2=Gains |first2=Mosheh |title=Defense secretary extends National Guard presence in D.C. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/defense-secretary-extends-national-guard-presence-d-c-n1260319 |access-date=March 11, 2021 |work=NBC News |date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Biden oath of office.jpg|thumb|Chief Justice John Roberts administers the presidential oath of office to Biden at the Capitol, January 20, 2021.]]
On January 20, 2021, Biden was sworn in by U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts as the 46th president of the United States, completing the oath of office at 11:49 AM EST, eleven minutes before the legal start of his term.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden Inaugurated as the 46th President Amid a Cascade of Crises |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/politics/biden-president.html|access-date=January 20, 2021 |work={{wipe|The New York Times}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Biden became president at noon despite taking oath early, constitutional experts say |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/20/biden-constitutional-noon-sworn-in/|access-date=January 20, 2021 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref>

===Inaugural address===
Biden's inaugural speech laid out his vision to unite the nation, prefaced by the various impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic strife, [[Earth:Climate change|climate change]], [[Social:Political polarization|political polarization]], and racial injustice.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ashraf|first=Khalil|date=December 15, 2020|title=Biden to take oath outside Capitol amid virus restrictions|work={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-to-take-oath-outside-capitol-amid-virus-restrictions/2020/12/15/16e6d326-3f00-11eb-b58b-1623f6267960_story.html|url-status=dead|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114194342/https://www.washingtonpost.com/|archive-date=January 14, 2021}}</ref> Biden called for an end to the "uncivil war" of political, demographic, and ideological American cultures through a greater embrace of diversity.<ref name=":312">{{cite news|last1=Baker|first1=Peter|last2=Astor|first2=Maggie|last3=Kaplan|first3=Thomas|date=January 20, 2021|title=Inauguration Live Updates: President Biden Arrives at the White House|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/20/us/biden-inauguration|url-status=live|access-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120181241/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/20/us/biden-inauguration|archive-date=January 20, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He cited the American Civil War, [[Finance:Great Depression|Great Depression]], [[Social:World war|world war]]s, and [[Religion:September 11 attacks|September 11 attacks]] as moments in American history where citizens' "better angels" prevailed, saying that the unity, the solution, must again be invoked to rise from the "cascading" crises of the present; this unity, he proclaimed, exists in the "common objects" that define America: "opportunity, liberty, dignity, respect, honor, and ... truth."<ref name=":34">{{cite news|last=Thrush|first=Glenn|date=January 20, 2021|title=President Biden's Full Inauguration Speech, Annotated|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/politics/biden-inauguration-speech-transcript.html|url-status=live|access-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121025634/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/politics/biden-inauguration-speech-transcript.html|archive-date=January 21, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":332">{{cite news|date=January 20, 2021|title='This Is America's Day': Biden's Inaugural Address, Annotated|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/20/956922884/bidens-inaugural-address-annotated|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120201236/https://www.npr.org/2021/01/20/956922884/bidens-inaugural-address-annotated|archive-date=January 20, 2021|access-date=January 20, 2021|website=NPR}}</ref> He explicitly decried [[Social:White supremacy|white supremacy]] and nativism, calling them an "ugly reality" of American life he vows to defeat that clouds the "American ideal" set out in the U.S. Declaration of Independence — that [[Philosophy:All men are created equal|all Americans are equal]].<ref name=":312"/><ref name=":332"/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Lemire|first1=Jonathan|last2=Miller|first2=Zeke|last3=Jaffe|first3=Alexandria|date=January 20, 2021|title=Biden takes the helm as president: 'Democracy has prevailed'|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-inauguration-a01d1ffa7862661914cb92b22e359854|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120212756/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-inauguration-a01d1ffa7862661914cb92b22e359854|archive-date=January 20, 2021|access-date=January 20, 2021|website=Associated Press}}</ref> Biden pledged that the U.S. would "engage with the world once again", "repair our alliances", and act as a "trusted partner for peace and security."<ref>{{cite web|last=Korecki|first=Natasha|date=January 20, 2021|title=Biden pledges, once more, to lead America away from dystopia|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/biden-inauguration-america-dystopia-460840|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121084230/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/biden-inauguration-america-dystopia-460840|archive-date=January 21, 2021|access-date=January 21, 2021|website=Politico}}</ref> Near the conclusion of his speech, Biden held a moment of silence for those who died in the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":34"/> Quoting the Gene Scheer composition "American Anthem",<ref>{{cite web|last=Yoo|first=Noah|date=January 20, 2021|title=President Biden Quotes From "American Anthem," His "Favorite Song," in Inaugural Address|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/president-biden-quotes-from-american-anthem-his-favorite-song-in-inaugural-address/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120213834/https://pitchfork.com/news/president-biden-quotes-from-american-anthem-his-favorite-song-in-inaugural-address/|archive-date=January 20, 2021|access-date=January 22, 2021|website=Pitchfork}}</ref> he implored Americans to consider their legacy in answering the "call of history" to protect "democracy, hope, truth, and justice", "secure liberty", and make America a "beacon to the world", insisting that generations of their descendants would judge them on their actions.<ref name=":34"/>


==Administration==
On November 11, 2020, Biden selected Ron Klain, who served as his vice presidential chief of staff, to serve as his White House Chief of Staff.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shear |first1=Michael D. |last2=Glueck |first2=Katie |last3=Haberman|first3=Maggie |last4=Kaplan|first4=Thomas| date=November 12, 2020|title=Biden Names Ron Klain as White House Chief of Staff |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/us/politics/ron-klain-biden.html|access-date=November 12, 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Biden chose Jen Psaki, deputy White House press secretary and U.S. Department of State spokesperson during the presidency of Barack Obama, as his White House press secretary. Psaki announced, and has held, daily press briefings for White House reporters. On March 25, 2021, Biden held his first solo press conference after 64 days in office,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chaggaris|first1=Steve|last2=Roberts|first2=William|date=March 25, 2021|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/25/biden-holds-first-formal-press-conference-of-his-presidency|title=What Joe Biden said in his first presidential press conference|agency=Al Jazeera|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref> unlike his most recent predecessors (back to Herbert Hoover in 1929), who all held their first solo press conferences within 33 days of taking office.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wooley |first1=John |last2=Peters |first2=Gerhard |title=The American Presidency Project |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ |website=The American Presidency Project |publisher=UC Santa Barbara |access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |title=White House reporters clamor for press conference as Biden waits longer than predecessors |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/03/media/biden-press-conference-reliable-sources/index.html |access-date=March 4, 2021 |work=CNN Business |publisher=CNN |date=March 3, 2021}}</ref>

On November 17, 2020, Biden announced that he had selected Mike Donilon as senior advisor and Steve Ricchetti as counselor.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sullivan |first=Sean |date=November 17, 2020 |title=Biden builds White House team and tries to show dangers of Trump's intransigence |work=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-transition-trump/2020/11/17/cfb8a5c2-28ef-11eb-9b14-ad872157ebc9_story.html|access-date=November 21, 2020}}</ref> Jen O'Malley Dillon, who had served as campaign manager for Biden's successful presidential campaign, was named as deputy chief of staff.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lerer |first=Lisa |date=November 17, 2020 |title=Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, Biden's Campaign Manager, Will Tackle Another Difficult Job |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/us/politics/jennifer-omalley-dillon-biden.html|access-date=November 21, 2020}}</ref>

===Cabinet===
President-elect Biden planned to announce his first nominees to the Cabinet before Thanksgiving 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jaffe |first=Alexandra |title=Biden Could Announce Cabinet Picks as Soon as Next Week |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-11-20/biden-could-announce-cabinet-picks-as-soon-as-next-week |access-date=November 22, 2020 |work=US News & World Report |date=November 20, 2020}}</ref> On November 22, 2020, several news outlets reported that Biden had selected Antony Blinken to be secretary of state, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as ambassador to the United Nations, and Jake Sullivan as national security advisor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jakes |first=Lara |title=Biden Chooses Antony Blinken, Defender of Global Alliances, as Secretary of State |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/22/us/politics/biden-antony-blinken-secretary-of-state.html |access-date=November 22, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=November 22, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Linskey |first=Annie |title=Biden to nominate Antony Blinken as secretary of state, Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.N. ambassador |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/11/22/joe-biden-nominate-antony-blinken-secretary-state/ |access-date=November 22, 2020 |work=The Washington Post |date=November 22, 2020}}</ref>

On November 23, 2020, Biden announced Alejandro Mayorkas to be his choice for Secretary of Homeland Security and Avril Haines as Director of National Intelligence.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crowley |first1=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/23/us/politics/biden-nominees.html |title=Biden Will Nominate First Woman to Lead Intelligence, First Latino to Run Homeland Security|access-date=November 23, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=November 23, 2020}}</ref> Throughout December and January, Biden continued to select cabinet members, including Marty Walsh, the then current mayor of Boston, as his Secretary of Labor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/joe-bidens-cabinet-begins-to-take-shape.html|title=All of President-elect Joe Biden's Cabinet Nominees|work=New York|date=January 19, 2021|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cathey|first1=Libby|last2=Crawford|first2=Shannon K.|last3=Deliso|first3=Meredith|date=March 22, 2021|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-elect-joe-bidens-top-level-appointees-cabinet/story?id=74362384|title=President Joe Biden's top-level appointees and Cabinet picks|agency=ABC News|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref>

Biden altered his cabinet structure, elevating the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and ambassador to the United Nations as cabinet-level positions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zimmer |first1=Carl |title=Biden to Elevate Science Adviser to His Cabinet |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/science/biden-science-cabinet.html |work=The New York Times |date=January 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Falk |first1=Pamela |date=November 20, 2020 |title=Will Biden tap a U.N. ambassador to "reclaim America's leading position"? |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-un-ambassador-pick-can-reclaim-us-leading-position-at-united-nations/ |work=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Martin |date=December 1, 2020 |title=Biden elevates Economic Advisers chair to Cabinet |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/528185-biden-re-adding-cea-chair-to-cabinet |work=The Hill}}</ref> Biden removed the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from his official cabinet.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Matthew |date=January 11, 2021 |title=Biden chooses veteran diplomat Burns as CIA director |url=https://apnews.com/article/william-burns-cia-director-5e1ffa2eb67fe00f661a9ce67c97790c |work=Associated Press }}</ref>

While administering the oath of office to hundreds of White House officials through video conferencing, Biden called for more civility in politics, saying: "If you ever work with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. ... No ifs, ands, or buts."<ref>{{cite news |last=Aggarwal |first=Mayank |title=Biden tells staff he will 'fire them on the spot' if they show disrespect to colleagues |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/biden-fire-staff-spot-disrespect-colleagues-b1790476.html |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=The Independent |date=January 21, 2021}}</ref>

==Domestic affairs==
[[File:President Joe Biden speaking at the joint session of Congress.jpg|thumb|President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress, with Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, April 28, 2021]]

===Health care===

Biden strongly campaigned for the presidency on the public option, a policy that, if enacted into law, would have offered Americans a choice between maintaining their private healthcare insurance or buying into Medicare. The idea was viewed as a compromise between the progressive and moderate flanks of the Democratic party. The Biden campaign described the public option as a "plan to protect and build on ObamaCare."<ref>{{cite web |title=Biden's health care plan |url=https://joebiden.com/healthcare/ |website=JoeBiden.com |publisher=Joe Biden's presidential campaign of 2020 |access-date=August 7, 2021}}</ref> 

However, shortly before taking office in January 2021, Biden's team abruptly dropped the proposal, frustrating many online progressives who already viewed the public option healthcare proposal as a failure to fight the status quo.<ref>{{cite news |title=Joe Biden Lifted His Health Care Plan From Insurance Industry Lobbyists |url=https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/01/joe-biden-public-option-health-insurance-plan |access-date=August 17, 2021 |publisher=Jacobin |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>

The Biden administration rescinded work requirements for Medicaid recipients.<ref>{{cite web|last=Spangler|first=Todd|title=Biden administration pulls plug on Medicaid work requirements in Michigan|url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/04/07/michigan-medicaid-work-requirement-revoked/7117611002/|access-date=April 10, 2021|website=Detroit Free Press}}</ref> The administration opened a special enrollment period for the [[Finance:Affordable Care Act|Affordable Care Act]] as well as extending the normal enrollment period, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|author=Tami Luhby and Jeremy Diamond|title=Biden administration announces extension of Affordable Care Act special enrollment by three months|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/politics/affordable-care-act-enrollment-august/index.html|access-date=April 10, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Armour|first=Stephanie|date=March 23, 2021|title=Biden Administration Extends Enrollment Period for Affordable Care Act|work={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-extends-enrollment-period-for-affordable-care-act-11616533263|access-date=April 10, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> The administration provided larger premium subsidies.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harwood|first=Analysis by John|title=Analysis: Biden strengthens Obama's legacy while seeking his own|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/11/politics/joe-biden-obamacare-legacy/index.html|access-date=April 11, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref>

====COVID-19====
[[File:President Joe Biden visits Kalamazoo, Michigan (03).jpg|thumb|President Biden touring a vaccine manufacturing plant]]
On January 20, 2021, his first day as president, Biden implemented a federal mask mandate, requiring the use of masks and social distancing in all federal buildings, on federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors.<ref>{{cite web |last=Biden |first=Joseph R. |title=Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing |date=January 21, 2021 |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-the-federal-workforce-and-requiring-mask-wearing/ |publisher=White House |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Bradner"/><ref name=":0"/> Biden also signed an [[Social:Executive order|executive order]] that reversed the withdrawal of the U.S. from the [[Organization:World Health Organization|World Health Organization]] (WHO), making Dr. [[Biography:Anthony Fauci|Anthony Fauci]] the head of the delegation to the WHO.<ref name="Bradner">{{cite news |last1=Bradner |first1=Eric |last2=Klein |first2=Betsy |title=Biden targets Trump's legacy with first-day executive actions |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/executive-actions-biden/index.html |access-date=January 20, 2021 |publisher=CNN |date=January 20, 2021}}</ref> On January 21, the administration released a 200-page document titled "National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness".<ref>{{cite news|last=Stolberg |first=Sheryl Gay |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Live Updates: Biden Set to Unveil Covid Response Plan|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/21/us/joe-biden|access-date=January 21, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Biden |first=Joseph R. |title=National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness |website=The White House |date=January 21, 2021 |url=https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/national-strategy-for-the-covid-19-response/c7bd8ecb9308d669/full.pdf |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> On his second day in office, Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up the vaccination process and ensure the availability of glass vials, syringes, and other vaccine supplies at the federal level.<ref name=":1"/><ref>{{cite news |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Biden signs executive orders on COVID-19 response, authorizes broader use of Defense Production Act to speed vaccine |url=https://www.inquirer.com/wires/ap/biden-signs-executive-orders-covid-19-response-authorizes-broader-use-defense-production-act-speed-vaccine-20210121.html |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |archive-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129035728/https://www.inquirer.com/wires/ap/biden-signs-executive-orders-covid-19-response-authorizes-broader-use-defense-production-act-speed-vaccine-20210121.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In justifying his use of the act, Biden said: "And when I say wartime, people kind of look at me like 'wartime?' Well, as I said last night, 400,000 Americans have died. That's more than have died in all of World War II. 400,000. This is a wartime undertaking."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vogt |first1=Adrienne |date=January 21, 2021 |title=Biden on Covid-19 plan: "This is a wartime undertaking" |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/president-joe-biden-news-01-21-20/h_1122c1996b539ee2bf80006978126494 |work=CNN |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> Biden established the White House COVID-19 Response Team, a White House Office dedicated to coordinating a unified federal government response.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Collins|first1=Kaitlan|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kate|date=July 1, 2021|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/01/politics/delta-variant-white-house-response-teams/index.html|title=White House to deploy response teams focused on combating Delta variant of Covid-19|agency=CNN|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref>

On January 21, 2021, Biden signed ten executive orders pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden signs 10 executive orders to tackle Covid-19 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55750884 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=BBC News |date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> In order to meet his vaccination goal of a hundred million shots in his first 100 days in office, Biden signed an executive order increasing needed supplies.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |last1=Klein |first1=Betsy |last2=Stracqualursi |first2=Veronica |last3=Sullivan |first3=Kate |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Biden unveils Covid-19 plan based on 'science not politics' as he signs new initiatives |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/biden-national-coronavirus-plan/index.html |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |date=January 21, 2021 |title=COVID-19: US president Joe Biden signs 10 executive orders to curb spread of coronavirus |url=https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-us-president-joe-biden-signs-10-executive-orders-to-curb-spread-of-coronavirus-12194856 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=Sky News}}</ref> Biden signed an order on January 21 that directed FEMA to offer full reimbursements to states for the cost of using their own National Guard personnel and emergency supplies such as Personal Protective Equipment in schools.<ref name=":3"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stolberg |first1=Sheryl Gay |title=Biden Unveils a National Pandemic Response That Trump Resisted |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/us/politics/biden-coronavirus-response.html |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> On January 24, 2021, Biden reinstated a travel ban imposed by President Trump on {{wipe|Brazil}}, {{wipe|United Kingdom}}, Ireland, {{wipe|South Africa}}, and 26 other European countries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O'Donnell |first1=Kelly |title=Biden to reinstate Covid travel restrictions Trump rescinded, impose new ban on South Africa |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/biden-sign-sweeping-coronavirus-related-travel-restrictions-n1255484 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |work=NBC News |date=January 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Diaz |first1=Jaclyn |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Biden To Implement Travel Restrictions To Combat New Coronavirus Variants |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/01/25/960229515/biden-to-implement-travel-restrictions-to-combat-new-coronavirus-variants |work=NPR |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Saenz |first1=Arlette |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Paul |date=January 24, 2021 |title=Biden to reinstate Covid-19-related travel restrictions lifted by Trump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/24/politics/biden-coronavirus-travel-trump/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> The travel ban prevents non-U.S. citizens living in the prospective countries from entering the U.S.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepardson |first1=David |date=January 24, 2021 |title=Biden to impose South Africa travel ban to combat new COVID-19 variant |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-usa-travel-exclusi/exclusive-biden-to-impose-south-africa-travel-ban-to-combat-new-covid-19-variant-cdc-idUSKBN29T0P0 |work=Reuters |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> Biden implemented a face mask requirement on nearly all forms of public transportation and inside of transportation hubs; previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had recommended that such a policy be enacted but it was blocked by the Trump administration, under which the CDC issued strong, albeit non-binding recommendations for mask use in these settings.<ref>{{cite news|last=Belkin|first=Douglas|date=January 30, 2021|title=CDC to Require Masks on All Forms of Public Transportation|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/cdc-to-require-masks-on-all-forms-of-public-transportation-11612027813|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=January 30, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

In mid-March 2021, Biden dismissed a request by the [[Social:European Union|European Union]] to export unused COVID-19 vaccines from [[Company:AstraZeneca|AstraZeneca]] out of the U.S. even though the manufacturer endorsed it and vowed to resupply the doses. The rationale for this decision, which contributed to low European vaccination rates, was that the U.S. had to be "over-supplied and over-prepared", according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-12/astrazeneca-asks-biden-to-consider-shipping-u-s-doses-to-eu|title=Biden Rebuffs EU, AstraZeneca and Says U.S. Will Keep Its Doses|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Whereas the U.S. exported no vaccines, the European Union exported 77 million doses to the world from December 2020 to March 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-summit-vaccines-exports-idUSKBN2BH2AG|title=EU exported 77 million COVID-19 vaccines since December Commission|publisher=Reuters|date=March 25, 2021}}</ref> Eventually, the U.S. reversed course and gave vaccine doses from AstraZeneca to Mexico, Canada, and Japan by the end of March.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blocked-eus-export-ban-japan-134245824.html|title=Blocked by the EU's export ban, Japan got its first AstraZeneca vaccines from the US instead|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=April 1, 2021}}</ref>

On May 6, 2021, the Biden administration announced that it supports waiving patent protections on existing COVID-19 vaccines so that other countries can produce generic variants, following weeks of pressure from the international community.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biden administration supports waiving patent protections for Covid vaccines to raise global production|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-administration-supports-waiving-patent-protections-covid-vaccines-bid-raise-n1266444|accessdate=July 5, 2021|website=NBC News}}</ref> On 7 May, French president Emmanuel Macron called on the U.S. "to put an end to export bans not only on vaccines but on vaccine ingredients, which prevent production."<ref>{{cite web|title=Covid: Macron calls on US to drop vaccine export bans|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57039362|access-date=July 5, 2021|date=May 8, 2021|website=BBC}}</ref>

On May 26, 2021, Biden ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to increase their investigations into the origin of the virus, following reports that researchers at the [[Organization:Wuhan Institute of Virology|Wuhan Institute of Virology]] became ill a month before the pandemic began.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biden orders review of US intelligence on origins of coronavirus|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/26/biden-orders-review-of-us-intel-on-origins-of-coronavirus|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref>

In July 2021, amid a slowing of the COVID-19 vaccination rate in the country and the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, Biden said that the U.S. has "a pandemic for those who haven’t gotten the vaccination" and that it was therefore "gigantically important" for Americans to be vaccinated, touting the vaccines' effectiveness against hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jaffe|first1=Alexandra|last2=Madhani|first2=Aamer|date=July 22, 2021|title=Biden says getting COVID-19 vaccine 'gigantically important'|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-06b4c8c4e0a1d595d94883b24c4ed020|access-date=July 23, 2021}}</ref> He also criticized the prevalence of [[Social:COVID-19 misinformation|COVID-19 misinformation]] on social media, saying it was "killing people".<ref>{{cite news|date=July 17, 2021|title=Covid misinformation on Facebook is killing people - Biden|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57870778|access-date=July 23, 2021}}</ref>

Despite months of vaccine availability and incentives, by September many Americans continued to resist vaccination amid rising cases in several states, leading Biden to state on September 9, "We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us." That day he issued an executive order directing businesses with more than 100 employees to require vaccination of their workers or weekly testing, affecting about 80 million Americans. The order also required the roughly 17 million employees of health facilities receiving federal Medicare or Medicaid to be vaccinated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-executive-branch-18fb12993f05be13bf760946a6fb89be|title=Sweeping new vaccine mandates for 100 million Americans|date=September 9, 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> Many Republicans asserted Biden's order was an unconstitutional overreach of federal authority, and some Republican governors said they would sue to block it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theweek.com/joe-biden/1004733/biden-tells-legal-challengers-to-have-at-it-after-announcing-vaccine-mandate|title=Biden tells legal challengers to 'have at it' after announcing vaccine mandate|website=The Week}}</ref>

===Economy===
On January 22, 2021, Biden signed an executive order that removed schedule F, overturning a number of Trump's policies that limited the [[Social:Collective bargaining|collective bargaining]] power of federal unions.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wagner |first=Erich |title=Biden to Sign Executive Order Killing Schedule F, Restoring Collective Bargaining Rights |url=https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/01/biden-sign-executive-order-killing-schedule-f-restoring-collective-bargaining-rights/171569/ |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=Government Executive |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ogrysko |first=Nicole |title=Biden to repeal Schedule F, overturn Trump workforce policies with new executive order |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2021/01/biden-to-repeal-schedule-f-overturn-trump-workforce-policies-with-new-executive-order/ |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=Federal News Network |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wagner |first=Erich |title=As White House Steps Up Schedule F Implementation, 'Lawmakers Don't Get It' |url=https://www.govexec.com/management/2020/12/white-house-steps-schedule-f-implementation-lawmakers-dont-get-it/170722/ |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=Government Executive |date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> Biden's executive order also promotes a $15 [[Social:Minimum wage|minimum wage]] for federal workers and repeals three of Trump's executive orders which made the employee discipline process stricter and restricted union representatives' access to office space. As well as promoting a $15 minimum wage, Biden's executive order increases the amount of money going to the families of children who are missing meals because of school closures due to the pandemic by 15%.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boak |first=Josh |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Biden's executive actions for economic relief at a glance |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bidens-executive-actions-for-economic-relief-at-a-glance/2021/01/22/fc4f89dc-5cf4-11eb-a849-6f9423a75ffd_story.html |work=The Washington Post |access-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130233354/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bidens-executive-actions-for-economic-relief-at-a-glance/2021/01/22/fc4f89dc-5cf4-11eb-a849-6f9423a75ffd_story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The repealing of Trump's three executive orders comes as the orders were used to transfer civil servants and career scientists and replace them with employees friendly to the Trump administration.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lienhard |first=Kelly |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Biden Axes Trump's EO That Made It Easier To Fire Career Scientists |url=https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/biden-axes-trump%E2%80%99s-eo-made-it-easier-fire-career-scientists |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=Inside Health Policy}}</ref>

Biden has called on Congress to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. This rate was lowered by the Republican's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from 35% to 21%, so Biden's proposal represents a partial reversal. The 21% tax rate does not expire, in contrast to the individual rates, so legislation would be required to raise it.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=McBride|first1=William|last2=Watson|first2=Garrett|date=February 2021|url=https://files.taxfoundation.org/20210224151522/Evaluating-Proposals-to-Increase-the-Corporate-Tax-Rate-and-Levy-a-Minimum-Tax-on-Corporate-Book-Income1.pdf|title=Evaluating Proposals to Increase the Corporate Tax Rate and Levy a Minimum Tax on Corporate Book Income|journal=Fiscal Fact|publisher=Tax Foundation|issue=751|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> Some analysts, such as Alexander Nazaryan, noted that Biden's COVID-19 relief package bill is $100 billion bigger than then-Obama's top economic adviser Christina Romer's $1.8 trillion [[Finance:American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|2009 stimulus package]], which was reduced to $800 billion after another top economic adviser, Lawrence Summers, rejected it as too big. On spending, among others, Biden broke with both Obama and Trump, even as many Obama alumni are part of the new administration, and was seen as maintaining the promise Biden made when he said that his presidential term would not be "a third Obama term" because "President Trump has changed the landscape."<ref name="Nazaryan 2021">{{cite news|last=Nazaryan|first=Alexander|date=April 14, 2021|url=https://news.yahoo.com/biden-breaks-with-obama-as-well-as-trump-on-everything-from-afghanistan-to-spending-211954060.html|title=Biden breaks with Obama, as well as Trump, on everything from Afghanistan to spending|agency=Yahoo|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

====American Rescue Plan Act of 2021====
[[File:President Joe Biden signs the American Rescue Plan into law.jpg|thumb|President Biden signs the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law, March 11, 2021]]
On January 14, 2021, Biden revealed a $1.9 trillion [[Finance:Stimulus (economics)|stimulus]] bill, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.<ref name="Barrow">{{cite news |last1=Alonso-Zaldivar |first1=Ricardo |last2=Barrow |first2=Bill |title=Biden unveils $1.9T plan to stem COVID-19 and steady economy |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-coronavirus-action-plan-3d8d5841bb9098a81ad9452fb2619024 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |publisher=Associated Press |date=January 14, 2021}}</ref> The plan includes $1 trillion in direct aid, including $1,400 per-person checks, for working Americans, and would provide for direct housing and nutrition assistance, expanding access to safe and reliable childcare and affordable healthcare, increasing the minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance, and giving families with kids and childless workers an emergency boost this year.<ref name="ReliefPDF">{{cite web|date=January 14, 2021|title=President-elect Biden Announces American Rescue Plan|url=https://buildbackbetter.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/COVID_Relief-Package-Fact-Sheet.pdf |website=The White House |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref><ref name="NLRrelief"/> It would also expand the eligibility of these checks to adult dependents who have been left out of previous rounds of relief.<ref name="ReliefPDF"/><ref name="NLRrelief"/><ref name="Barrow"/> The plan additionally includes $440 billion in community support, providing $350 billion of community support to first responders while the rest goes to grants for small businesses and transit agencies; $400 billion for a national vaccination plan and school reopenings; and $10 billion for information technology, modernizing federal cybersecurity infrastructure.<ref name="Barrow"/><ref name="NLRrelief">{{cite news|last1=Dodge |first1=Garen E. |last2=Sholinsky |first2=Susan Gross |date=January 19, 2021 |title=What's in President-Elect Biden's COVID-19 American Rescue Plan? |url=https://www.natlawreview.com/article/what-s-president-elect-biden-s-covid-19-american-rescue-plan |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=The National Law Review}}</ref> In her first press briefing, press secretary Psaki said the plan was likely to change.<ref>{{cite web|author=The White House |date=January 21, 2021 |title=01/20/21: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=842&v=N4WMxMJ-J3Y |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

The plan invokes the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure the production of [[Social:Personal protective equipment|personal protective equipment]], glass vials, syringes, and other supplies exceeds the demand.<ref name="ReliefPDF"/> It allows partners of states to create vaccine centers in stadiums, convention centers and pharmacies.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Biden's COVID-19 plan: Masks, testing, more vaccine supplies |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-2cceeb30ccf92784a84cbfa16ed6c3ca |date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=Associated Press}}</ref> The federal government would identify communities that have been hit hardest by COVID-19, and ensure the vaccine does not reach them at an unfair pace.<ref name="NLRrelief"/><ref name="ReliefPDF"/><ref name=":1"/> In addition, the plan would launch a national campaign to educate Americans about the vaccine and COVID-19, targeting [[Social:Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic|misinformation related to the pandemic]].<ref name=":1"/> Vaccines would also be freely available to all citizens regardless of immigration status.<ref name="ReliefPDF"/> In Biden's plan, he would issue a national testing strategy that attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by increasing laboratory capacity and expanding testing. The plan would also develop new treatments for COVID-19.<ref name="ReliefPDF"/><ref name="Barrow"/><ref name="NLRrelief"/><ref name=":1"/>

No Republican in Congress voted for the American Rescue Plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Montanaro|first=Domenico |date=March 13, 2021|title=The COVID-19 Relief Bill Passed. What's Biden's Next Big Move?|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/03/13/976595300/the-covid-19-relief-bill-passed-whats-bidens-next-big-move|access-date=March 15, 2021| work=NPR}}</ref> While debates and negotiations over the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 were ongoing, many Republicans{{Who?|date=October 2021}} focused instead on the decision by the Dr. Seuss estate to stop publishing what many viewed as a racially-offensive Dr. Seuss book and the re-branding of the "Mr. Potato Head" toy.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 6, 2021|title=Early in Biden's presidency, GOP shows the places they'll go|work=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-seuss-muppets-neanderthal/2021/03/05/9d4e92b6-7dd8-11eb-a976-c028a4215c78_story.html}}</ref> Biden signed the Plan into law on March 11, 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pramuk|first=Jacob|date=March 11, 2021 |title=Biden signs $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, clearing way for stimulus checks, vaccine aid |work={{wipe|CNBC}} |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/11/biden-1point9-trillion-covid-relief-package-thursday-afternoon.html|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref>

====Domestic manufacturing====
Biden signed an executive order intended to support domestic manufacturers by increasing a federal preference for purchasing goods made wholly or partly in the U.S. Using the broad term "Made in America laws", the executive order's stated goal is to strengthen "all statutes, regulations, rules, and Executive Orders relating to Federal financial assistance awards or Federal procurement, including those that refer to 'Buy America' or 'Buy American.'"<ref name="whit_Executive_Order_on_Ensuring">{{cite web |title=Executive Order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers |last=Biden Jr.|first=Joseph R. |publisher=The White House |date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |url= https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/25/executive-order-on-ensuring-the-future-is-made-in-all-of-america-by-all-of-americas-workers/}}</ref><ref name="cnn._Biden_signs">{{cite web |title=Biden signs executive order aimed at strengthening American manufacturing |last=Lobosco |first=Katie |publisher=CNN |date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |url= https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/politics/biden-executive-orders-manufacturing-buy-american/index.html}}</ref>

====Trade====
''{{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}'' reported that instead of negotiating access to Chinese markets for large American financial-service firms and pharmaceutical companies, the Biden administration may focus on trade policies that boost exports or domestic jobs. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the administration wants a "worker-centered trade policy."<ref>{{cite web |title=Biden Team Promises New Look in Trade Policy |last=Davis |first=Bob |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=January 24, 2021 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-team-promises-new-look-in-trade-policy-11611484201}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Biden set his sights on China |last=Allen-Ebrahimian |first=Bethany |work=Axios |date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |url= https://www.axios.com/biden-administration-china-policy-trump-136a1da4-f49d-42df-9fb6-29090a589087.html}}</ref> U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said she planned to aggressively enforce trade rules to combat unfair practices by China.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Swanson |first=Ana |date=January 26, 2021 |title=Biden's Commerce Pick Vows to Combat China and Climate Change |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/business/economy/gina-raimondo-commerce.html |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}} |access-date=January 26, 2021}}</ref>

In March 2021, in her first interview since taking office, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai told ''{{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}'' the U.S. would not lift tariffs on Chinese imports in the near future, despite lobbying efforts from "free traders" including former U.S. Secretary of Treasury Hank Paulson and the Business Roundtable, a big-business group in the U.S., that pressed for tariff repeal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Trade Representative Says U.S. Isn't Ready to Lift China Tariffs |last1=Davis |first1=Bob |last2=Hayashi |first2=Yuka |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=March 28, 2021 |access-date=March 29, 2021 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-trade-representative-says-u-s-isnt-ready-to-lift-china-tariffs-11616929200}}</ref>

On March 29, 2021, the U.S. suspended its diplomatic trade engagement with Myanmar, which sought to help integrate the country into the global economy, following an escalation in violence perpetrated by the Burmese military against anti-coup protesters, until what Katherine Tai says would be "the return of a democratically elected government."<ref>{{cite web|last=Klein|first=Betsy|title=US suspends all diplomatic trade engagement with Myanmar after weekend of violence against pro-democracy protesters|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/29/politics/us-trade-suspension-myanmar/index.html|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref>

====Infrastructure====
An analysis from [[Company:Moody's Analytics|Moody's Analytics]] found Biden's infrastructure plans would create 18.6 million jobs and increase average American income by $4,800 during his first term, far exceeding [[Engineering:Infrastructure policy of Donald Trump|Trump's infrastructure proposals]], which would create 11.2 million new jobs and "minimal real income gain". The analysis also found an increase in long-term economic growth, attributable to workforce size and productivity from expanded public education, health care for the elderly, and [[Social:Parental leave|paid family leave]], while Trump's restrictive immigration policies would dilute the workforce.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chait|first=Jonathan|date=September 25, 2020|title=Economic Forecast: Biden Plan Will Create 7 Million More Jobs Than Trump|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/09/economist-biden-plan-creates-7-million-more-jobs-than-trump.html|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Zeballos-Roig|first=Joseph|date=September 27, 2020|title=Joe Biden's plan would create 7 million more jobs than Trump, according to one economic forecast|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-economic-plan-jobs-trump-republicans-democrats-moodys-create-2020-9|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Business Insider}}</ref>

====American Jobs Plan====
As a part of the American Jobs Plan, the Biden administration aims for massive spending on the nation's infrastructure on the order of $2 trillion.<ref>{{cite news|last=Schwartz|first=Brian|date=January 21, 2021|title=Joe Biden's business allies discuss ways to pay for infrastructure plan, including a carbon tax|work={{wipe|CNBC}}|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/21/biden-infrastructure-plan-carbon-tax.html|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> Many of the physical infrastructure provisions featured in the proposal were included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

====American Families Plan====
On 28 April, during Biden's speech to Congress he unveiled the American Families Plan, a roughly $1.8 trillion proposal to significantly increase federal spending in areas related to childcare, [[Social:Paid leave|paid leave]], [[Social:Pre-kindergarten|pre-kindergarten]], community college, and healthcare.<ref name="WaPo">{{cite web|last=Stein|first=Jeff|date=April 24, 2021|title=White House's new $1.8 trillion 'families plan' reflects ambitions — and limits — of Biden presidency|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/04/24/biden-families-plan-tax/|website={{wipe|The Washington Post}}}}</ref><ref name="WaPo-2">{{cite web|last1=Stein|first1=Jeff|last2=Pager|first2=Tyler|date=April 19, 2021|title=White House closes in on 'families plan' spending proposal centered on child care, pre-K, paid leave|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/04/19/white-house-families-plan/|website={{wipe|The Washington Post}}}}</ref> It is considered to be the third part of Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda (the first being the American Rescue Plan and the second being the American Jobs Plan) and is intended to address "human infrastructure".<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|last=Tankersley|first=Jim|date=April 22, 2021|title=Biden Will Seek Tax Increase on Rich to Fund Child Care and Education|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/business/economy/biden-taxes.html|website={{wipe|The New York Times}}}}</ref>

====International taxation====
Finance officials from 130 countries agreed on July 1, 2021 to plans for a new international taxation policy. All the major economies agreed to pass national laws that would require corporations to pay at least 15% income tax in the countries they operate. This new policy would end the practice of locating world headquarters in small countries with very low taxation rates. Governments hope to recoup some of the lost revenue, estimated at $100 billion to $240 billion each year. The new system was promoted by the Biden Administration and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ([[Organization:OECD|OECD]]). Secretary-General Mathias Cormann of the OECD said: "This historic package will ensure that large multinational companies pay their fair share of tax everywhere."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Kate|last2=Hannon|first2=Paul|date=July 1, 2021|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-wins-international-backing-for-global-minimum-tax-11625153698|title=U.S. Wins International Backing for Global Minimum Tax|work=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

===Environment===
[[File:Biden visits Texas after winter storm damage (1).jpg|thumb|President Biden and Texas governor Greg Abbott visit the Harris County Emergency Operations Center in Houston following the 2021 Texas power crisis, February 2021]]
During his first week in office, Biden established the position of White House National Climate Advisor, appointing [[Earth:Environmental health|environmental health]] and air quality expert Gina McCarthy to the role. Biden also created the position of U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, appointing former Secretary of State John Kerry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/ |website=The White House |date=January 27, 2021}}</ref>

On January 20, 2021, Biden signed an executive order rejoining the U.S. to the Paris Agreement.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sommer|first=Lauren|date=January 20, 2021|title=Biden Moves Quickly On Climate Change, Reversing Trump Rollbacks|publisher=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/inauguration-day-live-updates/2021/01/20/958854421/biden-moves-quickly-on-climate-change-reversing-trump-rollbacks|access-date=January 20, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Volcovici|first1=Valerie|last2=Hunnicutt|first2=Trevor|date=January 20, 2021|title=Biden set to rejoin Paris climate accord, impose curbs on U.S. oil industry Author of the article|publisher=Financial Times|url=https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/biden-set-to-rejoin-paris-climate-accord-impose-curbs-on-u-s-oil-industry-5|access-date=January 20, 2021}}</ref> With the U.S. rejoining the agreement, countries responsible for two-thirds of the global [[Earth:Greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse gas emissions]] would make pledges of becoming carbon neutral, while without United States it is only half.<ref>{{cite web|title=Secretary-General welcomes US return to Paris Agreement on Climate Change|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/01/1082602|access-date=January 22, 2021|website=UN News|date=January 20, 2021|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> On the same day, Biden also cancelled the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, an extension of the Keystone Pipeline, by signing an [[Social:Executive order|executive order]]. The pipeline was heavily criticized by environmental and Native American activists and groups.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rice|first=Doyle|title=Biden is taking bold action on climate change and the environment: Here's what we know about the Paris Agreement and the Keystone XL|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/01/21/biden-environment-orders-target-paris-agreement-keystone-pipeline/6657211002/|access-date=January 22, 2021|website=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ferguson|first=Danielle|title=South Dakota tribes applaud cancellation of Keystone XL Pipeline, Thune decries 'bad decision'|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2021/01/21/south-dakota-tribes-applaud-cancellation-biden-keystone-xl-pipeline/4243581001/|access-date=January 22, 2021|website=Argus Leader}}</ref> As a result of the executive order, [[Company:TC Energy|TC Energy]] eliminated more than a thousand construction jobs both in Canada and in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|date=January 21, 2021|title=Keystone XL's Demise Prompts TC Energy to Slash 1,000 Jobs|work=Bloomberg L.P.|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-21/keystone-xl-s-demise-prompts-tc-energy-to-slash-1-000-jobs|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nickel |first1=Rod |last2=Volcovici |first2=Valerie |date=January 21, 2021|title=TC Energy cuts jobs as Keystone pipeline nixed, but markets start to move on|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-keystone-idUSKBN29Q1T8|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> This order also directed agencies to review and reverse more than 100 actions made by Trump on the environment.<ref name="Bradner"/>

On January 21, 2021, the Biden administration issued a 60-day ban on oil and gas leases and permits on federal land and waters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Matthew |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Biden halts oil and gas leases, permits on US land and water |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-billings-a3a37acf2fce55449b704b01badc1f67 |website=Associated Press |access-date=January 24, 2021}}</ref> On January 27, 2021, Biden signed a number of executive orders aimed at [[Earth:Climate change mitigation|combating climate change]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Melissa |date=January 28, 2021 |title='It's time to act': Biden rolls out new actions on climate change |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-signs-executive-actions-climate-change/ |access-date=January 29, 2021 |work=CBS News}}</ref> one of them setting climate change as a key consideration for U.S. national security and foreign policy.<ref name="abcn_Bideb_says">{{cite web|last1=Ebbs|first1=Stephanie|last2=Kolinovsky|first2=Sarah|date=January 27, 2021|title=Biden says tackling climate change will create jobs, bring economic recovery|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-sign-executive-order-climate-change/story?id=75510742|access-date=January 28, 2021|work=ABC News}}</ref> In an attempt to encourage U.S. membership to the Kigali Amendment, an international agreement aimed to reduce the production of [[Chemistry:Hydrofluorocarbon|hydrofluorocarbon]]s, Biden's executive order directed the U.S. Department of State to submit the Kigali Amendment to the Senate.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waldman |first1=Scott |title=Five Things in Biden's Climate Day Orders That Flew Under the Radar |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/five-things-in-bidens-climate-day-orders-that-flew-under-the-radar/ |access-date=January 29, 2021 |work=Scientific American}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hillbrand |first1=Alex |last2=Doniger |first2=David |date=January 27, 2021 |title=Biden Announces Move to Ratify Kigali Amendment on HFCs |url=https://www.nrdc.org/experts/alex-hillbrand/biden-announces-move-ratify-kigali-amendment-hfcs |access-date=January 29, 2021 |work=NRDC}}</ref>

[[File:President Joe Biden at the Leaders Summit on Climate (01).jpg|thumb|Biden at the Leaders Summit on Climate in April 2021, held [[Web conferencing|virtually]] because of the COVID-19 pandemic]]
On March 18, 2021, attorneys general of 21 states sued the Biden administration for revoking the Keystone XL pipeline permit. The suit claims Biden exceeded his authority to regulate interstate commerce by invoking the order: "The president lacks the power to enact his 'ambitious plan' to reshape the economy in defiance of Congress's unwillingness to do so."<ref>{{cite web|last=Quinn|first=Melissa|date=March 18, 2021|title=21 states sue Biden for revoking Keystone XL pipeline permit|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/keystone-pipeline-21-states-sue-biden/|access-date=March 19, 2021|website=CBS News}}</ref> On March 27, 2021, Biden invited more than forty world leaders for a climate summit.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 27, 2021|title=Biden invites Russia, China to first global climate talks|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-barack-obama-climate-climate-change-d7ccfff957ff6cdf500d3bb7692ab5ff|access-date=March 30, 2021|website=AP News}}</ref>

In May 2021, the EPA rolled back a Trump administration rule that prohibited the EPA from using certain studies.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.upi.com/amp/Top_News/US/2021/05/26/epa-ends-secret-science-rule-studies/1651622047180/ | title=EPA ends secret science studies rule | newspaper=UPI | author=Zarrin Ahmed | date=May 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Frazin|first=Rachel|date=May 26, 2021|title=EPA officially nixes Trump 'secret science' rule|url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/555512-epa-officially-nixes-trump-rule-limiting-consideration-of-certain|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Hill}}</ref> The previous rule, which made it more difficult to use major scientific studies to justify pollution reduction policies,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/01/trump-s-new-rule-restricting-epa-s-use-certain-science-could-have-short-life | title=Trump's new rule restricting EPA's use of certain science could have short life | newspaper=Science Magazine | author=Warren Cornwall | date=January 6, 2021}}</ref> had already been invalidated by a federal court.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/536787-court-tosses-trump-epas-secret-science-rule | title=Court tosses Trump EPAs Secret Science Rule | newspaper=The Hill | author=Rachel Frazen | date=February 1, 2021}}</ref>

On June 1, 2021, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland suspended all oil and gas drilling leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, pending further review of their environmental impacts.<ref>{{cite web|last=Federman|first=Adam|title=Biden freezes oil leases in Alaska refuge pending new environmental review|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/01/biden-anwr-alaska-oil-491498|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Politico}}</ref>

===Electoral and ethical reform===
In response to what Biden describes as the growing influence of special interests and [[Social:Gerrymandering|gerrymandering]] in elections, he has pledged to seek electoral reforms.<ref name=govtreform>{{cite web|title=Plan for a Government that Works For the People|url=https://joebiden.com/governmentreform/|access-date=January 23, 2021|website=Joe Biden for President: Official Campaign Website}}</ref> The Biden administration pledged to pass government ethics reform.<ref name="govtreform"/>

===Immigration===
[[File:Proc10140 Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States.pdf|thumb|Presidential Proclamation 10141 – Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States]]
On January 20, 2021, Biden halted the construction of the U.S.–Mexico barrier<ref name="Bradner"/> and ended a related national emergency declared by Trump in February 2018.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Biden's first act: Orders on pandemic, climate, immigration |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-executive-orders-b5b409da08e42414b9a12e2c67ee2df6 |publisher=Associated Press |date=January 20, 2021}}</ref> Biden issued a proclamation that ended the Trump travel ban imposed on predominantly Muslim countries in January 2017.<ref name="Bradner"/><ref name=":0"/> Biden also reaffirmed protections to recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.<ref name="Narea">{{cite news |last=Narea |first=Nicole |title=Biden is already rolling back Trump's immigration legacy |url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2021/1/20/22240549/biden-executive-actions-immigration |access-date=January 20, 2021 |publisher=Vox |date=January 20, 2021}}</ref> The same day, Biden sent a memorandum to the U.S. Department of State reinstating Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reinstating Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians |website=The White House |date=January 20, 2021 |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/reinstating-deferred-enforced-departure-for-liberians/ |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Axelrod |first=Tal |title=These are the executive orders Biden has signed so far |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/535245-these-are-the-executive-orders-biden-has-signed-so-far |access-date=January 21, 2021 |work=The Hill |date=January 21, 2021}}</ref>

On January 20, 2021, the Biden administration issued a moratorium on deportations from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the first 100 days of his presidency.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Priscilla |first1=Alvarez |title=DHS pauses some deportations for 100 days |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/homeland-security-pause-some-deportations/index.html |access-date=January 25, 2021 |work=CNN |date=January 20, 2021}}</ref> On January 22, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration for violating Biden's written pledge to cooperatively work with the state of Texas.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Priscilla |first1=Alvarez |title=Texas attorney general sues Biden administration over deportation pause |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/22/politics/texas-biden-lawsuit-deportation/index.html |access-date=January 25, 2021 |work=CNN |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> A federal judge in Texas subsequently issued a temporary restraining order barring the Biden administration from enforcing its moratorium, citing the lack of "any concrete, reasonable justification for a 100-day pause on deportations."<ref name="apne_Judge_bars">{{Cite web |last=Merchant |first=Nomaan|date=January 26, 2021 |title=Judge bars Biden from enforcing 100-day deportation ban |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-texas-barack-obama-51688033e490d50867e52ef9c8ec574f |work=Associated Press |access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref>

On January 21, 2021, Biden proposed a bill that, if passed, would replace the word ''alien'' with ''noncitizen'' in U.S. immigration law.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shoichet |first1=Catherine E. |title=Biden wants to remove this controversial word from US laws |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/alien-biden-immigration-law/index.html |access-date=January 21, 2021 |publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite act |type=act |index=8 USC 1101 |date=June 30, 1965 |article=Immigration and Nationality |title=Aliens and Nationality |page= |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1101&num=0&edition=prelim}}</ref> The following day, Biden had a call with Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. On the call, Biden and López Obrador spoke about immigration, where Biden spoke of reducing immigration from Mexico to the U.S. by targeting what Biden deemed as root causes.<ref name=Obradorcall>{{cite web |title=Readout of President Joe Biden Call with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico |website=The White House |date=January 23, 2021 |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/23/readout-of-president-joe-biden-call-with-president-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-of-mexico/ |access-date=January 23, 2021}}</ref> According to an Associated Press report, López Obrador noted that Biden pledged $4 billion to "help development in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — nations whose hardships have spawned tides of migration through Mexico toward the United States."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mark|first1=Stevenson|last2=Gillies|first2=Rob|last3=Madhani|first3=Aamer|date=January 23, 2021|title=Mexican leader says Biden offers $4B for Central America|work=ABC News|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-calls-canadas-trudeau-mexicos-lpez-obrador-75444816|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

On January 23, Biden proposed an immigration bill<ref name=":4">{{cite news |last1=Hackman |first1=Michelle |last2=Siobhan |first2=Hughes |title=Biden's Immigration Package Faces Steep Odds on Capitol Hill |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-immigration-package-faces-steep-odds-on-capitol-hill-11611430901 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |work={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=January 23, 2021}}</ref> aiming to give a path to citizenship to eleven million immigrants living in the U.S. without a permanent legal status.<ref name=":4"/> The bill would also make it easier for certain foreign workers to stay in the U.S.<ref name=":5">{{cite news |last=Fram |first=Alan |title=Democrats start reining in expectations for immigration bill |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-jen-psaki-12e9346eef0af68dbd604feda32ec1e5 |access-date=January 24, 2021 |work=Associated Press |date=January 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{cite news |last=Spagat |first=Elliot |date=January 23, 2021 |title=Biden bets big on immigration changes in opening move |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-inauguration-joe-biden-mexico-immigration-us-news-8d565946dfdec1f365befdada879023e |access-date=January 24, 2021 |work=Associated Press }}</ref> Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin called the bill "aspirational". It is widely expected not to pass both houses of Congress without significant revision.<ref name=":4"/><ref name=":5"/><ref name=":6"/>

Biden instructed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to focus on violent offenders of immigration laws rather than all offenders of immigration laws.<ref name=":7">{{cite news|last1=Kanno-Youngs|first1=Zolan|last2=Shear|first2=Michael D.|date=February 3, 2021|title=Trump Loyalists Across Homeland Security Could Vex Biden's Immigration Policies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/us/politics/biden-trump-immigration.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 3, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Miroff|first1=Nick|last2=Sacchetti|first2=Maria|date=February 7, 2021|title=New Biden rules for ICE point to fewer arrests and deportations, and a more restrained agency|work=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/new-biden-rules-for-ice-point-to-fewer-arrests-and-deportations-and-a-more-restrained-agency/2021/02/07/faccb854-68c6-11eb-bf81-c618c88ed605_story.html|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

In February 2021, it was reported that DHS agents who had been empowered by Trump to enact his anti-immigration policies were resisting and defying Biden's immigration policies.<ref name=":7"/> The union representing ICE agents signaled that its agents would not accept reversals of Trump policies.<ref name=":7"/>

In March 2021, the Biden administration granted temporary protected status to Venezuelans fleeing the country amidst the ongoing political and economic crisis.<ref>{{cite news|date=March 9, 2021|title=US grants Venezuelan migrants temporary protected status|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56333605|work=BBC News|access-date=March 9, 2021}}</ref>

On June 1, 2021, the DHS officially terminated the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy, which mandated that all asylum seekers from Central America were to wait in Mexico pending their court cases; however, a health order from March 2020 allowed the border authorities to send migrants back for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic have remained in place.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gregorian|first=Dareh|date=June 1, 2021|title=Biden administration officially ends Trump's 'remain in Mexico' asylum policy|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/biden-administration-officially-ends-trump-s-remain-mexico-asylum-policy-n1269262|access-date=July 2, 2021|website=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=US formally ends Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' asylum policy|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/1/us-formally-ends-trumps-remain-in-mexico-asylum-policy|date=June 1, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref> However, on August 14, 2021, a federal judge in Texas ordered the Biden administration to reimplement the policy; the Supreme Court placed a pause on the ruling to give the administration time for arguments.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Montoya-Galvez |first1=Camilo |title=Judge orders U.S. to reinstate Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" asylum policy |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/judge-orders-u-s-to-reinstate-trump-era-remain-in-mexico-asylum-policy/ |website=CBS News |access-date=23 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Supreme Court halts reinstating 'Remain in Mexico' policy |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mexico-courts-health-immigration-fa8250193e4177ba50ad9f3deb11dbe1 |website=AP News |date=August 20, 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021}}</ref>

====Surge in unaccompanied minors====
[[File:Harris meets with Special Envoy Ricardo Zúñiga.jpg|thumb|Vice President Kamala Harris meets with State Department Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, Ricardo Zúñiga, and other officials on the surge of migrants from Central America, March 2021]]
Early during Biden's tenure, a surge in unaccompanied minors at the U.S. border stirred controversy. According to a 2021 ''Politico'' report, Republicans expected prior to Biden taking office that there would be a border surge at the start of 2021 (due to seasonal patterns and regional crises) and coordinated to make it a central issue in the lead-up to the 2022 mid-term elections.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kumar|first=Anita|date=April 23, 2021|title=The border turned out to be a better attack on Biden than even Republicans thought|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/23/gop-biden-immigration-border-problems-484383|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Politico}}</ref> The number of migrants arriving in the U.S. from Central America had been rising since April 2020 due to ongoing violence, natural disasters, food insecurity, and poverty in the region.<ref>{{cite news |last=Romo |first=Vanessa |title=Number Of Unaccompanied Minors Entering U.S. Soared In February |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/03/11/975916980/number-of-unaccompanied-minors-entering-u-s-soared-in-february |agency=NPR |date=March 11, 2021|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> In February 2021, the U.S. Border Patrol reported a 61% increase in encounters with unaccompanied children from the month before. The reported 5,858 encounters in January to 9,457 in February constituted the largest one-month percentage increase in encounters with unaccompanied children since U.S. Customs and Border Protection began recording data in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spagat |first1=Elliot |title=Explainer: Is the US border with Mexico in crisis? |url=https://apnews.com/article/is-us-mexico-border-in-crisis-explained-aea57dde734f5cccb920e0d5d6111e65 |work=Associated Press |date=March 17, 2021|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mulder |first1=Brandon |title=Fact-check: Is the surge of migrant children arriving at border a result of Biden policies? |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2021/03/29/minors-border-surge-due-numerous-factors-biden-policies-included/7012446002/ |work=Austin American-Statesman |issue=March 29, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Morin |first1=Rebecca |title=As Biden faces ongoing surge of migrant children, Republicans criticize White House for border crisis |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/15/kevin-mccarthy-republicans-slam-biden-migrants-us-mexico-border/4701550001/ |work=USA Today |date=March 15, 2021}}</ref> By the end of April 2021, the number of children held in Border Patrol facilities fell by 84%, placing them under HHS care.<ref>{{cite web|last=Alvarez|first=Priscilla|date=April 29, 2021|title=Number of children held in Border Patrol facilities drops 84% since peak last month|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/29/politics/border-patrol-unaccompanied-minors/index.html|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref>

On March 24, 2021, Biden tasked Vice President Harris to reduce the number of [[Social:Unaccompanied minor|unaccompanied minor]]s and adult asylum seekers. She is also tasked with leading the negotiations with Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lahut|first=Jake|date=March 25, 2021|title=Biden is giving Kamala Harris the thorniest issue to oversee as VP: immigration|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/biden-is-giving-kamala-harris-the-thorniest-issue-to-oversee-as-vp-immigration/articleshow/81676987.cms|access-date=March 27, 2021|website=Business Insider}}</ref>

===Social issues===
[[File:President Joe Biden signs executive orders on health care access and affordability.jpg|thumb|President Biden signs executive orders expanding the Affordable Care Act and revoking Trump administration health policies, January 2021]]
[[File:P20210608CW-1394 (51269120779).jpg|thumb|President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, June 17, 2021]]
During his early days in office, Biden focused on "advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice and equal opportunity." According to ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'', Biden's early actions in office focused on [[Social:Racial equality|racial equality]] more than any president since [[Biography:Lyndon B. Johnson|Lyndon B. Johnson]], who passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tankersley |first1=Jim |last2=Shear |first2=Michael D. |title=Biden Seeks to Define His Presidency by an Early Emphasis on Equity |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/business/biden-equity-racial-gender.html |access-date=January 23, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123170006/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/business/biden-equity-racial-gender.html |archive-date=January 23, 2021 |url-status=live |quote=In his first days in office, President Biden has devoted more attention to issues of racial equity than any new president since Lyndon B. Johnson, a focus that has cheered civil rights activists and drawn early criticism from conservatives. In his inauguration speech, the president pledged to defeat 'white supremacy', using a burst of executive orders on Day 1 to declare that 'advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our government.'}}</ref> On January 25, 2021, Biden signed an executive order that lifted the ban on transgender military service members.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Zeke |last2=Baldor |first2=Lolita C. |title=Biden to drop Trump's military transgender ban |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-biden-cabinet-lloyd-austin-confirmation-hearings-82138242acd4b6dad80ff4d82f5b7686 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |work=Associated Press |date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> This reversed a memorandum imposed by Trump.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennet |first1=Geoff |last2=Edelman |first2=Adam |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Biden reverses Trump's transgender military ban |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-reverse-trump-s-transgender-military-ban-n1255522 |work=NBC News |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>

The Biden administration is seeking to put Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Biden administration will look to expedite getting Tubman on $20 bill |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/535716-biden-administration-will-look-to-expedite-getting-tubman-on-20-bill |work=The Hill |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rappeport |first1=Alan |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Biden's Treasury will seek to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, an effort the Trump administration halted. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/25/us/politics/tubman-20-dollar-bill.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> This effort follows that of the Obama administration, which was blocked by Steven Mnuchin.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Watkins |first1=Eli |date=May 22, 2019 |title=Mnuchin punts again on putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/22/politics/mnuchin-pressley-harriet-tubman-20-dollar-bill/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> Press secretary Psaki said it was important that [[Finance:Federal Reserve Note|U.S. money and notes]] reflect the "history and diversity" of the country and that putting Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill would do so.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Judd |first1=Donald |date=January 25, 2021 |title=White House recommits to getting Harriet Tubman on $20 bill after Trump delay |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/25/politics/harriet-tubman-20-biden-trump-obama/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>

On January 20, the Biden administration issued an Executive Order entitled Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government<ref>{{cite web |title=Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ |website=WhiteHouse.gov |date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref> increasing the federal government's anti-bias enforcement against government contractors. The intent is heightened investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, more thorough audits, and more detailed follow-up inquiries with government contractors, with an emphasis on combatting pay discrimination.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Connelly |first1=Amanda M. |title=Department of Labor Steps Up Enforcement of Anti-Bias for Government Contractors |url=https://www.natlawreview.com/article/department-labor-steps-enforcement-anti-bias-government-contractors |access-date=April 21, 2021 |work=The National Law Review |issue=Volume XI, Number 96 |publisher=Roetzel & Andress |date=April 6, 2021}}</ref>

On January 26, Biden directed the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce their usage of [[Finance:Private prison|private prison]]s and ordered the attorney general to not renew contracts with private prisons, citing the need to "reduce profit-based incentives" for the incarceration of racial minorities.<ref name="theh_Biden_directs">{{cite web |last=Beitsch |first=Rebecca |date=January 26, 2021 |title=Biden directs DOJ to phase out use of private prisons |work=The Hill |access-date=January 29, 2021 |url= https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/535973-biden-directs-doj-to-phase-out-use-of-private-prisons}}</ref> [[Company:GEO Group|GEO Group]] considered the policy "a solution in search of a problem." David Fathi, the director of the National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the executive order did not fully end America's usage of private prisons.<ref>{{cite web|last=Madhani|first=Aamer|date=January 26, 2021|title=Biden orders Justice Dept. to end use of private prisons|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-coronavirus-pandemic-c8c246f00695f37ef2afb1dd3a5f115e|website=Associated Press|access-date=January 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Tankersley|first1=Jim|last2=Karni|first2=Annie|date=January 26, 2021|title=Biden Moves to End Justice Contracts with Private Prisons|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/business/biden-private-prisons-justice-department.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 27, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

On March 19, Biden and Vice President Harris travelled to Atlanta and spoke to Asian American and Pacific Islander advocates and leaders while condemning 2021 Atlanta spa shootings caused by racism, sexism and hate.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morin|first=Nicholas Wu and Rebecca|title='Our silence is complicity. We can not be complicit': Biden, Harris meet with Asian American advocates after Atlanta killings|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/19/biden-harris-travel-atlanta-meet-asian-american-leaders/4754107001/|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=USA Today}}</ref>

On June 17, Biden signed into law a bill creating Juneteenth as a federal holiday; the day celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/us/politics/juneteenth-holiday-biden.html|title=Biden Signs Law Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday|last1=Karni|first1=Annie|last2=Broadwater|first2=Luke|date=June 17, 2021|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 June 2021}}</ref>

====Criminal justice====
The Biden administration rescinded a Trump administration policy that curtailed the use of [[Social:Consent decree|consent decree]]s that had been used by previous administrations in their investigations of misconduct in police departments.<ref>{{cite news|last=Balsamo|first=Micahel|date=April 17, 2021|title=Garland rescinds Trump-era memo curtailing consent decrees|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/garland-rescinds-trump-era-memo-curtailing-consent-decrees-77118681|access-date=July 5, 2021|agency=Associated Press|via=ABC News}}</ref>

Biden proposed in his fiscal 2022 budget to more than double funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, which helps state and local governments to hire law enforcement officers.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 29, 2021|title=The continuing GOP fiction that President Biden supports defunding police|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/06/29/continuing-gop-fiction-that-president-biden-supports-defunding-police/|access-date=July 5, 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

====Gun control====
[[File:Biden delivers remarks on gun control measures.jpg|thumb|President Biden announces new executive measures on gun control with Vice President Kamala Harris and Attorney General Merrick Garland in the White House Rose Garden, April 8, 2021]]
Following the 2021 Boulder shooting, Biden advocated for further gun regulations, such as a restored ban on [[Engineering:Assault weapon|assault weapon]]s and [[Engineering:High-capacity magazine|high-capacity magazine]]s, as well as reinforcing preexisting background checks, in a national address delivered on March 23. He had made no mention of gun control following the Atlanta spa shootings the week prior.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Liptak|first1=Kevin|last2=Zeleny|first2=Jeff|date=March 23, 2021|title=Biden pushes House-passed gun reforms in the wake of Colorado mass shooting|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/politics/biden-gun-control-colorado-atlanta/index.html|access-date=March 23, 2021|work=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Karni|first1=Annie|last2=Edmondson|first2=Catie|date=March 23, 2021|title=Biden Seeks Assault Weapons Ban and Background Checks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/us/politics/biden-gun-control.html|access-date=March 23, 2021|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}}}</ref>

===Space policy===
On February 4, 2021, the White House announced a change from the Trump administration's method of using the National Space Council to coordinate commercial, civil, and military space policies, instead of using the National Security Council for the same purpose. This means national security memoranda would replace the Space Council's space policy directives. As of February 5, it was not known whether or not the Biden administration would keep the Space Council. A coalition of 17 industry groups lobbied Chief of Staff Ron Klain to keep it.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Erwin |first1=Sandra |title=White House to realign responsibilities for space policy oversight |url=https://spacenews.com/white-house-to-realign-responsibilities-for-space-policy-oversight/ |access-date=February 26, 2021 |work=SpaceNews |date=February 5, 2021}}</ref>

In the February 4 press briefing, Psaki expressed the Biden administration's support of the [[Astronomy:Artemis program|Artemis program]] to send people back [[Astronomy:Moon landing|to the Moon]], though no details about funding levels or adherence to the 2024 first landing goal were given.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |date=February 4, 2021 |title=White House endorses Artemis program |url=https://spacenews.com/white-house-endorses-artemis-program/ |work=SpaceNews |access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref>

On March 19, 2021, Biden announced his intent to nominate Bill Nelson as NASA administrator to replace Jim Bridenstine.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 19, 2021|title=President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Bill Nelson for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/19/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-bill-nelson-for-the-national-aeronautics-and-space-administration/|access-date=March 19, 2021|website=The White House}}</ref>

On April 9, 2021, as part of his overall budget request, Biden proposed a $24.7 billion budget for NASA in 2022, a $1.5 billion increase on what Congress allocated to 2021.<ref name=Space.com1>{{cite news|url=https://www.space.com/biden-nasa-2022-budget-request|title=Biden proposes $24.7 billion NASA budget in 2022 to support moon exploration and more|publisher=Space.com|date=April 9, 2021|access-date=April 10, 2021}}</ref> The proposal includes funding for the [[Astronomy:Artemis program|Artemis program]], which is the NASA plan for a new [[Astronomy:Moon landing|moon landing]].<ref name=Space.com1/>

==Foreign affairs==

===Defense===
[[File:President Joe Biden signs H.R. 335.jpg|thumb|President Biden signs his first bill, H.R. 335]]
On January 22, 2021, Biden signed his first bill,<ref name="Hoffman"/> H.R. 335 into law, providing a waiver to the law preventing appointment of a Secretary of Defense who had been on active duty in the armed forces within the past seven years;<ref>{{cite web|title=Bill Signing: H.R. 335 |website=The White House |date=January 22, 2021 |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/legislation/2021/01/22/bill-signing-hr-335/ |access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> this was the third time such a waiver was granted by Congress. Retired army four-star general Lloyd Austin was confirmed by the Senate in a 93–2 vote that same day, making Austin the first African-American Defense Secretary.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Foran |first1=Clare |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Senate confirms Lloyd Austin to be first Black defense secretary |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/22/politics/lloyd-austin-senate-vote-confirmation/index.html |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=CNN}}</ref><ref name="Hoffman">{{cite news |last=Hoffman |first=Jason |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Biden signs first bill into law as President, granting a waiver to his Defense pick |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/president-joe-biden-news-01-22-20/h_5cd510d89040f6be531921b3f7ac077d |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=CNN }}</ref>

[[File:President Joe Biden visits the Department of Defense (01).jpg|thumb|President Biden delivers remarks at The Pentagon, February 2021]]
Austin has said his number one priority is to assist COVID-19 relief efforts, pledging he would "quickly review the Department's contributions to COVID-19 relief efforts, ensuring that we're doing everything that we can to help distribute vaccines across the country and to vaccinate our troops and preserve readiness."<ref>{{cite news |title=Watch: Gen. Lloyd Austin's full opening statement in Senate confirmation hearing |url=https://www.wpbstv.org/watch-gen-lloyd-austins-full-opening-statement-in-senate-confirmation-hearing/ |work=WPBS |date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>

On February 10, 2021, Biden visited the Pentagon for the first time as U.S. president.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holland|first1=Steve|last2=Stewart|first2=Phil|title=In Pentagon debut, Biden promises break from Trump-era politicization of military |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-defense-idUSKBN2AA2X2 |work=Reuters |date=February 10, 2021 |accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> In remarks to service members alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Biden announced a U.S. Department of Defense-led China task force to "to provide a baseline assessment of department policies, programs and processes in regard to the challenge China poses."<ref>{{cite web |title=Biden Announces DOD China Task Force |url=https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2500271/biden-announces-dod-china-task-force/ |website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref>

On June 18, 2021, the administration removed eight MIM-104 Patriot anti-missile batteries from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq, removed the THAAD anti-missile defense system from Saudi Arabia, and announced that most jet squadrons and hundreds of American troops would be withdrawn from the region. The changes come in light of both de-escalating tensions with Iran and the administration changing its focus on countering China.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gordon|first=Michael R.|last2=Lubold|first2=Gordon|last3=Youssef|first3=Nancy A.|date=June 18, 2021|title=U.S. Military to Withdraw Hundreds of Troops, Aircraft, Antimissile Batteries From Middle East|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-military-to-withdraw-hundreds-of-troops-aircraft-antimissile-batteries-from-middle-east-11624045575|access-date=July 5, 2021|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

===China===
Biden has said the U.S. needs to "get tough" on China and build "a united front of U.S. allies and partners to confront China's abusive behaviors and human rights violations."<ref name="fore_Why_America">{{cite magazine |title=Why America Must Lead Again |last=Biden |first=Joseph R. |magazine=Foreign Affairs |date=January 23, 2020 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |url= https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-01-23/why-america-must-lead-again}}</ref> He described China as the "most serious competitor" that poses challenges on the "prosperity, security, and democratic values" of the U.S.<ref name="whit_Remarks_by">{{cite web |title=Remarks by President Biden on America's Place in the World |publisher=The White House |date=February 4, 2021 |access-date=February 6, 2021 |url= https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/04/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world/}}</ref>

Biden nominated Antony Blinken to serve as Secretary of State who took office on January 26, 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hansler |first1=Jennifer |date=January 26, 2021 |title=Antony Blinken sworn in as Biden's secretary of state |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/politics/blinken-confirmation-secretary-of-state/index.html |access-date=January 28, 2021 |work=CNN}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Brittany|date=January 20, 2021|title=Incoming Secretary of State Backs Pompeo's Uyghur Genocide Designation|work=National Review|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/incoming-secretary-of-state-backs-pompeos-uyghur-genocide-designation/|access-date=}}</ref> During his nomination hearing, Blinken said that previous optimistic approaches to China were flawed,<ref name="wsj._Blinken_Backs">{{cite web |last1=Mauldin |first1=William |last2=Gordon |first2=Michael R. |date=January 20, 2021 |title=Blinken Backs Tough Approach to China, Says Will Work With GOP |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/blinken-to-address-u-s-rivalry-with-china-russia-in-senate-hearing-11611069439?mod=article_inline |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |access-date=January 28, 2021 }}</ref> and that Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, "was right in taking a tougher approach to China" but he "disagree[s] very much with the way [Trump] went about it in a number of areas."<ref name=":2"/> He endorsed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's report that China is committing a [[Religion:Uyghur genocide|genocide against Uyghur Muslims]].<ref name=":2"/>

In March 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other administration officials met with the Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, and other Chinese officials in [[Earth:Alaska|Alaska]] with heated exchanges on China's human rights abuses, [[Chinese cyberwarfare|cyberattacks]], its threats against Taiwan, its crackdown in [[Place:Xinjiang|Xinjiang]] and [[Place:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], and other issues of U.S. interest. The Chinese side countered: "The U.S. does not have the qualification to speak to China from a position of strength [and] does not serve as a model to others [and] China's development and strengthening is unstoppable."<ref name="wsj._Bitter_Alaska">{{cite web |title=Bitter Alaska Meeting Complicates Already Shaky U.S.-China Ties |last=Mauldin |first=William |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2021 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/bitter-alaska-meeting-complicates-already-shaky-u-s-china-ties-11616185669}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=March 19, 2021|title=US and China trade angry words at high-level Alaska talks|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56452471|access-date=March 20, 2021}}</ref>

''{{wipe|The Washington Post}}'' reported that the Biden administration got "a taste of China's 'wolf warrior' diplomacy" during the first meeting with its Chinese counterpart, which was "remarkably undiplomatic", adding "China's diplomats appeared more forceful than they had been in any public meeting during President Trump's term."<ref name="wash_The_Biden">{{Cite web |title=The Biden administration gets a taste of China's 'wolf warrior' diplomacy |last1=Taylor |first1=Adam |last2=Rauhala |first2=Emily |newspaper=Washington Post |date=March 19, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/03/19/biden-blinken-china-wolf-warrior/}}</ref> ''The Atlantic'' published an article saying that the Biden team "flushed Beijing's true intentions out into the open for the world to see", quoting a senior administration official's comment that it is "increasingly difficult to argue that we don't know what China wants."<ref name="thea_The_U.S.">{{cite web |title=The U.S. and China Finally Get Real With Each Other |last=Wright |first=Thomas |magazine=The Atlantic |date=March 21, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |url= https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/the-us-and-china-finally-get-real-with-each-other/618345/}}</ref>

In April 2021, it was reported that the Biden administration was rallying U.S. allies in consideration of a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in [[Place:Beijing|Beijing]]. The U.S. Department of State spokesman Ned Price told reporters that a joint boycott "is something that we certainly wish to discuss."<ref name="cnbc_U.S.">{{cite web |title=U.S. considering joining boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics, State Department says |last=Macias |first=Amanda |publisher={{wipe|CNBC}} |date= April 6, 2021|access-date=April 6, 2021 |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/06/us-considering-joining-boycott-of-2022-beijing-olympics.html }}</ref>

In May 2021, the administration removed Chinese mobile manufacturer [[Company:Xiaomi|Xiaomi]] from the Chinese military blacklist, reversing the previous administration's decision.<ref>{{cite web|date=May 12, 2021|title=Xiaomi Removed from US Blacklist by Biden Administration, Reversing Late China Jab by Donald Trump|url=https://www.news18.com/news/tech/xiaomi-removed-from-us-blacklist-by-biden-administration-reversing-late-china-jab-by-donald-trump-3731582.html|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=News 18}}</ref>

On June 3, 2021, Biden announced an executive order that would come into effect from August 2, and ban Americans from investing into 59 Chinese firms, including [[Company:Huawei|Huawei]]. Before it was announced, China said it would retaliate against it.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 3, 2021|title=Biden expands US investment ban on Chinese firms|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57334265|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

In October 2021, Biden said he is concerned about [[Physics:Hypersonic flight|Chinese hypersonic missiles]], days after China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that circled the globe before speeding towards its target.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden airs hypersonic missile fears as probable ambassador labels China 'untrustworthy' |url=https://www.dw.com/en/biden-airs-hypersonic-missile-fears-as-probable-ambassador-labels-china-untrustworthy/a-59568428 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=20 October 2021}}</ref> 

On 21 October 2021, Biden said the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacked.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden says United States would come to Taiwan's defense |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/biden-says-united-states-would-come-taiwans-defense-2021-10-22/ |work=Reuters |date=22 October 2021}}</ref>
===Cuba===
{{Excerpt|Cuba–United States relations|Biden administration}}
===Afghanistan===
[[File:President Joe Biden with President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman Abdullah Abdullah.jpg|thumb|Biden meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chairman Abdullah Abdullah, June 2021]]
[[File:President Biden Delivers Remarks on the Way Forward in Afghanistan.webm|thumb|250px|President Biden delivers remarks on Afghanistan (transcript)]]

Previously in February 2020, the Trump administration had made a deal with the [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] to completely withdraw U.S. forces by May 1, 2021.<ref name="images">{{cite news |last1=Sanger |first1=David |title=For Biden, Images of Defeat He Wanted to Avoid |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/15/us/politics/afghanistan-biden.html |access-date=August 16, 2021 |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.is/C5pmI |date=August 15, 2021}}</ref> In April 2021, President Biden formally announced that American troops would instead withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, which would signal an end to the U.S.'s longest war.<ref>{{cite web|last=Macias|first=Amanda|date=April 14, 2021|title='It is time to end America's longest war' — Biden announces U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan by Sept. 11|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/14/biden-announces-us-troops-to-leave-afghanistan-by-sept-11.html|accessdate=July 5, 2021|website=CNBC}}</ref> According to Princeton professor Julian E. Zelizer, Biden "clearly learned a great deal from his time in the Obama presidency", and demonstrated that "he is a politician capable of learning and evolving, contrary to some of the skeptics in the primaries who thought he didn't understand how politics had changed." According to ''Washington Post'' journalist Steven Levingston, "Obama listened to military leaders who advised him that withdrawal would be a mistake. Biden, meanwhile, was the top administration official arguing for a much more limited role for American forces in Afghanistan. Later, Biden would go on to say that he could tell by Obama's 'body language' that he agreed with that assessment — even though he ultimately rejected it."<ref name="Nazaryan 2021"/>

Soon after the withdrawal of U.S. troops started, the [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] launched an offensive against the Afghan government, quickly advancing in front of a collapsing Afghan Armed Forces.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Nic |title=Afghanistan is disintegrating fast as Biden's troop withdrawal continues |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/24/asia/afghanistan-taliban-offensive-intl-cmd/index.html |publisher=CNN |date= June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Afghanistan stunned by scale and speed of security forces' collapse |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/13/afghanistan-stunned-by-scale-and-speed-of-security-forces-collapse |work=The Guardian |date=July 13, 2021}}</ref> President Biden defended the withdrawal, saying "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped and ... more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Wajahat |title=Biden defends Afghanistan pullout as Taliban gain ground |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Biden-defends-Afghanistan-pullout-as-Taliban-gain-ground  |work=Nikkei Asia |date=July 9, 2021}}</ref>

By early July 2021, most of the American troops in Afghanistan were withdrawn.<ref name=images/> Biden addressed the withdrawal, stating that: "The likelihood there’s going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely."<ref name=images/> However, on August 15, amid an offensive by the Taliban, the Afghan government collapsed, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and Kabul fell to the Taliban.<ref name=images/><ref name="messy">{{cite news |title=Biden defends 'messy' US pullout from Afghanistan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58238497 |access-date=August 17, 2021 |work=BBC News |date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> Biden reacted by ordering 6,000 American troops to assist in the evacuation of American personnel and Afghan allies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Prakash |first1=Nidhi |title=Joe Biden Blamed Afghan Leaders For Giving Up As The Taliban Took Control |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhiprakash/biden-afghanistan-speech-taliban-take-over |access-date=August 17, 2021 |work=Buzzfeed News |date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> He has been criticized over the manner of the American withdrawal.<ref name="messy"/>

On August 16, Biden addressed the "messy" situation, taking responsibility for it ("the buck stops with me"), and admitting that the situation "unfolded more quickly than we had anticipated".<ref name="messy"/><ref name=buck1>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=Biden says "buck stops with me" and defends Afghanistan withdrawal |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-afghanistan-taliban-watch-live-stream-today-2021-08-16/ |access-date=August 17, 2021 |work=CBS News |date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> He defended his decision to withdraw, saying that Americans should not be "dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves", since the "Afghan military collapsed [against the Taliban], sometimes without trying to fight".<ref name=buck1/><ref name="buck2">{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |title=Biden says the 'buck stops with me' — while pinning blame on Trump and many Afghans |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/16/biden-says-buck-stops-with-me-while-pinning-blame-trump-lots-afghans/ |access-date=August 17, 2021 |work={{wipe|The Washington Post}} |date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> Biden partly attributed the lack of early evacuation of Afghan civilians to the Afghan government's opposition of a "mass exodus" which they thought would cause a "crisis of confidence".<ref name="buck2"/>

On 26 August, a suicide attack was carried out by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan Province at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, killing more than 170 people, including at least 62 Afghan civilians, 13 US service members, two British nationals and the child of a third British national.<ref>{{cite news|date=25 August 2021|title=Explosion outside Kabul airport|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-58279900|url-status=live|access-date=26 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826145526/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-58279900|archive-date=26 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=27 August 2021|title=British victims of Kabul terror attack: Foreign Secretary's statement|work=Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-victims-of-kabul-terror-attack-foreign-secretarys-statement|url-status=live|access-date=27 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827155143/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-victims-of-kabul-terror-attack-foreign-secretarys-statement|archive-date=27 August 2021}}</ref> Biden made a public address following the attack, in which he honoured the American service members who were killed, calling them "heroes" and saying they lost their lives "in the service of liberty", and stated that the US had evacuated more than 100,000 Americans, Afghans, and others. He expressed deep sorrow for the Afghan victims as well. Biden said to those who wished harm upon the US that "we will hunt you down and make you pay."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Israeli PM and Biden postpone meeting because of Afghanistan|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/israeli-pm-to-make-case-to-biden-against-iran-nuclear-pact/2021/08/26/821b336c-0624-11ec-b3c4-c462b1edcfc8_story.html|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Biden received increasingly harsh criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress, with Republicans calling for his resignation or for his impeachment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-27|title=Pentagon warns of further attacks as Biden condemned over Afghan pullout|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/27/pentagon-afghanistan-further-attacks-joe-biden|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-28|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Allen|first=Nick|date=2021-08-27|title=Democrats distance themselves from Joe Biden as anger mounts in wake of Kabul bombings|language=en-GB|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/08/27/democrats-distance-joe-biden-anger-mounts-wake-kabul-bombings/|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Allen|first=Nick|date=2021-08-26|title='Impeach Joe Biden': Republican fury grows over Afghanistan debacle|language=en-GB|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/08/26/impeach-joe-biden-republican-fury-grows-afghanistan-debacle/|access-date=2021-08-28|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

During the late summer 2021, Biden's approval numbers dropped to below 50 percent, due in part to the Afghanistan withdrawal<ref>{{cite news |last=Montanaro |first=Domenico |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033433959/biden-approval-rating-afghanistan-withdrawal |title=Biden |work=NPR |date=2021-09-02 |accessdate=2021-09-21 }}</ref> and the COVID-19 resurgence.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rupar |first=Aaron |url=https://www.vox.com/2021/9/20/22678173/biden-polls-approval-rating-morning-consult |title=Why Biden's approval numbers have sagged, explained by an expert |work=Vox (website) |date=2021-09-20 |accessdate=2021-09-21 }}</ref>

===Armenian genocide===
On April 24, 2021, the Biden administration declared that the Turkish killings of Armenians at the start of the 20th century were a genocide. He is the first U.S. president to ever officially recognize the Armenian genocide.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rogers|first1=Katie|last2=Gall|first2=Carlotta|date=April 24, 2021|title=Breaking With Predecessors, Biden Declares Mass Killings of Armenians a Genocide|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/us/politics/armenia-genocide-joe-biden.html|access-date=April 24, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Quad and the Indo-Pacific region===
[[File:P20210312AS-1304 (51101881507).jpg|thumb|President Biden hosted his first multilateral summit as president. March 2021]]
In March 2021, Biden held a virtual meeting with leaders of {{wipe|Japan}}, {{wipe|India}} and {{wipe|Australia}}, an alliance of countries known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, that work together to address China's expansionism in the [[Earth:Indo-Pacific|Indo-Pacific]] region.<ref name="wsj._Biden_Meets">{{cite web |title=Biden Meets World Leaders in Quest for More Covid-19 Vaccine |last1=Lubold |first1=Gordon |last2=Leary |first2=Alex |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=March 12, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-meets-world-leaders-in-a-quest-for-more-vaccine-11615527000}}</ref><ref name="wsj._U.S._India">{{cite web |title=U.S., India Vow to Deepen Defense Ties |last=Roy |first=Rajesh |newspaper={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}} |date=March 20, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-india-vow-to-deepen-defense-ties-11616246056}}</ref> A few days later, the administration officials, including secretary of state Antony Blinken and secretary of defense Lloyd Austin, met with U.S. allies in Asia and imposed sanctions on senior Chinese officials.<ref name="npr._Blinken_Austin">{{Cite news |title=Blinken, Austin Work To Revive Asian Alliance To Counter China, North Korea |last=King |first=Noel |newspaper=NPR.org |publisher=NPR |date=March 17, 2021 |access-date=March 21, 2021 |url= https://www.npr.org/2021/03/17/978065786/blinken-austin-work-to-revive-asian-alliance-to-counter-china-north-korea}}</ref><ref name="wsj._Bitter_Alaska"/> Austin also visited India to deepen the defense ties between the two countries.<ref name="wsj._U.S._India"/> In September 2021, Biden hosted the first in-person meeting of Quad at the White House.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=BS Web|title=Highlights: Quad will establish peace and prosperity in the world, says PM|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/quad-summit-2021-live-updates-pm-modi-in-us-joe-biden-japan-pm-australia-highlights-121092400301_1.html|access-date=2021-09-25|website=www.business-standard.com|language=en}}</ref>

===Russia===
[[File:Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin in Geneva, 16 June 2021 (01).jpg|thumb|Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the summit meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021]]
On the day of Biden's inauguration, the Russian government urged the new U.S. administration to take a "more constructive" approach in talks over the extension of the 2010 New START treaty, the sole remaining agreement limiting the number of U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warheads.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 20, 2021|title=Russia Urges Biden to Be 'More Constructive' Over Arms Treaty |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/01/20/russia-urges-biden-to-be-more-constructive-over-arms-treaty-a72675 |website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> In Biden's first telephone call as president with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on January 26, 2021, Biden and Putin agreed to extend the New START treaty (which was set to expire in February 2021) by an additional five years.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 27, 2021|title=Renewed US-Russia nuke pact won't fix emerging arms threats |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-nuclear-weapons-north-korea-vladimir-putin-41891565c23d7ff99f5c575080c7ed6a |access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Associated Press}}</ref>

Biden and his administration condemned human rights violations by the Russian authorities, calling for the release of detained dissident and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny, his wife, and the thousands of Russians who had demonstrated in his support; the U.S. called for the unconditional release of Navalny and the protestors and a credible investigation into Navalny's poisoning.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Larger|first1=Thibault|last2=Leonard|first2=Ben|date=January 23, 2021|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/23/alexei-navalny-protests-arrests-461606|title=U.S. condemns Russia's arrests of Navalny protesters|website=Politico|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Chalfant|first=Morgan|date=February 4, 2021|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/537429-biden-condemns-jailing-of-navalny-in-russia|title=Biden condemns jailing of Navalny in Russia|newspaper=The Hill|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-opposition-leader-navalny-back-court-biden-ups-pressure-moscow-n1256833|title=Russian opposition leader Navalny back in court as Biden ups pressure on Moscow|agency=Reuters|date=February 5, 2021|accessdate=July 5, 2021|via=NBC News}}</ref> On March 2, 2021, the U.S. and European Union imposed coordinated additional sanctions on Russian officials, as well as the FSB and GRU, over Navalny's poisoning and imprisonment. The State Department also expanded existing sanctions from the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act that had been imposed after the poisoning of Skripal.<ref name=Hansler>{{Cite web|publisher=CNN|author=Jennifer Hansler|title=Biden administration unveils raft of sanctions on Russia over Navalny poisoning and imprisonment|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/politics/biden-russia-sanctions-alexey-navalny/index.html|access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> The Biden administration is also planning to impose sanctions against Russia because of the 2020 SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign, which compromised the computer systems of nine federal agencies.<ref name=PreparingtoSanction>{{cite news|last=Nakashim|first=Ellen|date=February 23, 2021|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-russia-sanctions-solarwinds-hacks/2021/02/23/b77039d6-71fa-11eb-85fa-e0ccb3660358_story.html|title=Biden administration preparing to sanction Russia for SolarWinds hacks and the poisoning of an opposition leader|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the response "will include a mix of tools seen and unseen, and it will not simply be sanctions."<ref name=PreparingtoSanction/><ref name=Hansler/>

The Biden administration's comprehensive review into Russian activities has included an examination of reports that the Russian government offered bounties to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|last1=De Luce|first1=Dan|last2=Lee|first2=Carol E.|last3=Mitchell|first3=Andrea|last4=Williams|first4=Abigail|date=March 2, 2021|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-eu-set-impose-sanctions-russia-n1259249|title=U.S., E.U. impose sanctions on Russia over Navalny's poisoning|agency=NBC News|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Seligman|first=Lara|date=March 1, 2021|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/01/tammy-duckworth-biden-russian-bounties-471931|title=Duckworth urges Biden admin to release intel on Russian bounties|website=Politico|accessdate=July 5, 2021}}</ref> The Biden administration said intelligence community has only "low to moderate" confidence in reports due to the fact that the bounty reports originated from "detainee reporting and because of the difficult operating environment in Afghanistan."<ref>{{cite news |title=Remember those Russian bounties for dead U.S. troops? Biden admin says the CIA intel is not conclusive |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/remember-those-russian-bounties-dead-u-s-troops-biden-admin-n1264215 |work=NBC News |date=April 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Intel officials have "low to moderate" confidence in reports of Russian bounties on U.S. troops |url=https://www.axios.com/intelligence-officials-low-moderate-confidence-russia-bounty-troops-b971724d-37f8-4eed-a003-95c86a82915d.html |work=Axios |date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" in an ABC News interview, and said that Russia would pay a price for election meddling.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|last2=|last3=|first3=|title=Joe Biden brands Putin a 'killer', says he will pay for poll meddling|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/joe-biden-brands-putin-a-killer-says-he-will-pay-for-poll-meddling/articleshow/81560908.cms|access-date=March 18, 2021|website=The Times of India}}</ref>

On May 19, 2021, the Biden administration lifted CAATSA sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project between Russia and Germany. Despite Biden's personal opposition to the project, the U.S. State Department says that it concluded that it was in the "U.S. national interest" to waive the sanctions.<ref name="NordStream2">{{cite news|date=May 20, 2021|title=Nord Stream 2: Biden waives US sanctions on Russian pipeline|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57180674|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref> Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov welcomed the move as "a chance for a gradual transition toward the normalisation of our bilateral ties."<ref name="NordStream2"/>

On June 16, 2021, Biden met with Putin in [[Place:Geneva|Geneva]], Switzerland. The two presidents discussed a number of topics, including stable policy on climate change, nuclear proliferation, and cybersecurity. Russia's activities regarding {{wipe|Ukraine}}, Alexei Navalny, {{wipe|Belarus}}, and nationals jailed in each other's countries. The summit was significantly shorter than expected, only lasting three and a half of the predicted five hours.<ref>{{cite news|date=June 16, 2021|title=Biden and Putin conclude high-stakes diplomacy at Geneva summit|accessdate=July 5, 2021|work=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/16/putin-biden-summit-in-geneva-2021.html}}</ref> Putin praised Biden as a knowledgeable and shrewd negotiator the next day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Isachenkov |first1=Vladimir |title=Putin praises summit result, calls Biden a tough negotiator |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-summits-d86605a1c60be7c9ca856028030b961b |publisher=Associated Press |date=June 17, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/17/politics/putin-biden-praise-professional/index.html|title=Putin praises Biden, calling him a 'professional' following Geneva summit|author=Nicole Gaouette and Zahra Ullah|website=CNN}}</ref>

===Europe===
[[File:Family photo of G7 leaders and the invited guests at Carbis Bay (1).jpg|thumb|President Biden with leaders and the Guests at the 47th G7 summit in Cornwall, United Kingdom, June 12, 2021]]
President Biden promised to repair "strained" relationships with European allies in contrast to his predecessor Trump. "An attack on one is an attack on all. That is our unshakeable vow," Biden said, referring to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (the mutual defense clause).<ref>{{cite web|last=Macias|first=Amanda|date=February 19, 2021|title='An attack on one is an attack on all' – Biden backs NATO military alliance in sharp contrast to Trump|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/19/munich-security-conference-biden-backs-nato-in-sharp-contrast-to-trump.html|access-date=March 3, 2021|website=CNBC}}</ref> Biden pledged support for the European project and for Ukraine's sovereignty as well as the need for global cooperation on fighting the pandemic and climate change.<ref>{{cite web|last=Conradis|first=Brandon|date=February 19, 2021|title=Biden warns European allies that 'democratic progress is under assault'|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/539584-biden-warns-european-allies-that-democratic-progress-is-under-assault|website=The Hill|access-date=March 3, 2021}}</ref>

U.S. relations with France deteriorated in September 2021 due to fallout from the [[Organization:AUKUS|AUKUS]] security pact between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, which aimed to counter Chinese power in the [[Earth:Indo-Pacific|Indo-Pacific]] region. As part of the agreement, the U.S. agreed to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. After entering into the agreement, the Australian government canceled an agreement that it had made with France for the provision of French conventionally powered submarines. The deal angered the French government, which recalled its ambassador to the U.S. (Philippe Étienne) as well as the ambassador to Australia. Amid the diplomatic row, the French Foreign Ministry contended that it had been subjected to "duplicity, disdain and lies"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/france-recalls-ambassadors-to-us-australia-over-submarine-deal/ar-AAOyNcL|title=France recalls ambassadors to US, Australia over submarine deal|website=www.msn.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/19/explainer-why-is-a-submarine-deal-sparking-a-diplomatic-crisis|title=Explainer: Why is a submarine deal sparking a diplomatic crisis?|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> and French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called the deal a "stab in the back".<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-09-16|title=Aukus: UK, US and Australia launch pact to counter China|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-58564837}}</ref> In a conciliatory call a few days later, Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to reduce bilateral tensions, and the White House acknowledged the crisis could have been averted if there had been open consultations between allies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210922-macron-biden-agree-to-soothe-tensions-after-submarine-row|title=Macron, Biden agree to soothe tensions after submarine row|date=22 September 2021|website=France 24}}</ref>

===Iran===
The Biden administration has expressed interest in re-engaging with Iran on the Iran nuclear deal. Biden's predecessor, President Trump, 
withdrew from the deal in 2018, resulting in swift backlash from international community.<ref>{{cite web|title=UN chief 'deeply concerned' by US decision to exit Iran nuclear deal|date=May 8, 2018|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009172|publisher=UN News|access-date=May 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508222541/https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/05/1009172|archive-date=May 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chohan |first1=Kubra |last2=Arik |first2=Burcu |date=May 9, 2018 |title=World reacts to US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal |url = https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/09/05/2018/World-reacts-to-US-withdrawal-from-Iran-nuclear-deal | newspaper = The Peninsula |location=[[Place:Ankara|Ankara]], [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]] |access-date=May 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509154128/https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/09/05/2018/World-reacts-to-US-withdrawal-from-Iran-nuclear-deal |archive-date=May 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would be interested in re-entering the agreement so long as Iran shows "strict compliance".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Matthew |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Biden attempt to resurrect Iran nuke deal off to bumpy start |url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-iran-iran-nuclear-diplomacy-middle-east-fe94f33feaa974d244c0e3cdd6c33dfc |work=Associated Press}}</ref>

On February 25, 2021, President Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes on buildings in Syria that the Department of Defense said were used by Iranian-backed militias to carry out rocket attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq. The operation was the first known use of military force by the Biden administration.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |last1=De Luce |first1=Dan |last2=Gains |first2=Mosheh |last3=Gubash |first3=Charlene |last4=Welker |first4=Kristen |date=February 26, 2021 |title=Biden orders strikes in Syria, retaliating against Iran-backed groups |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biden-airstrikes-syria-retaliating-against-iran-backed-militias-n1258912 |work=NBC News}}</ref> The attacks prompted condemnation from many Democratic members of Congress. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia questioned the administration's "legal justification for acting without coming to Congress." Representative Ro Khanna (D-{{wipe|California}}) claimed that "the Administration should have sought Congressional authorization."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Alana |date=February 26, 2021 |title=Syria Airstrikes Resurface Lawmakers' Questions Over Presidential Authority |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/26/971904219/syria-airstrikes-resurface-lawmakers-questions-over-presidential-authority |work=NPR}}</ref>

===Myanmar===
On February 1, 2021, Biden condemned the Myanmar coup d'état and called for the release of detained officials. Biden also left open the door to re-imposing sanctions on the country, saying in a statement that "[t]he United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action."<ref>{{cite news|last=Hansler|first=Jennifer|date=February 3, 2021|title=Biden administration designates Myanmar military takeover as a coup|work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/02/politics/myanmar-state-department-coup-determination/index.html|access-date=July 5, 2021}}</ref>

On March 5, 2021, Biden imposed sanctions on Myanmar's Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence and certain junta conglomerates.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pamuk|first1=Humeyra|last2=Alper|first2=Alexandra|date=March 5, 2021|title=U.S. blocks Myanmar ministries, military businesses from certain trade|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-blacklist-idUSKBN2AW2SL|access-date=March 5, 2021}}</ref> On March 22, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced sanctions on several military generals in response to a violent crackdown on peaceful protests.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gaoutte|first=Nicole|title=US and allies sanction Myanmar's military for violent repression of protesters|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/22/politics/us-allies-burma-sanctions/index.html|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref>

===Northern Ireland===
[[File:President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.jpg|thumb|Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson]]
Biden has reiterated his commitment to maintaining peace in Northern Ireland by resisting the possibility of a hard border as a result of Brexit. When asked by ''The Irish Times'' in March 2021 about comments made by Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney that the UK "cannot be trusted" on the Northern Ireland protocol, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that "President Biden has been unequivocal about his support for the Good Friday Agreement." As part of his own Irish-American heritage, Psaki said that Biden "has a special place in his heart for the Irish", underpinning his commitment to Northern Ireland's peace.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lynch |first1=Suzanne |last2=McClements |first2=Freya |last3=Clark |first3=Vivienne |date=March 4, 2021 |title=Biden 'unequivocal' about Belfast Agreement support as Dublin and London row over NI protocol |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/biden-unequivocal-about-belfast-agreement-support-as-dublin-and-london-row-over-ni-protocol-1.4500990 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=March 7, 2021}}</ref>

===Saudi Arabia and Yemen===
Biden ordered a halt in the arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which the Trump administration had previously agreed to.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 28, 2021|title=Biden administration halts arms sales to UAE and Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.dw.com/en/biden-administration-halts-arms-sales-to-uae-and-saudi-arabia/a-56365478|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Deutsche Welle}}</ref> Two years after Jamal Khashoggi's assassination, Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence under Biden's administration, announced that the intelligence report into the case against Saudi Arabia's government would be declassified. It was reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would be blamed for the murder, as was concluded by the CIA.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kirchgaessner|first=Stephanie|date=January 19, 2021|title=Biden administration 'to declassify report' into Khashoggi murder|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/biden-administration-to-declassify-report-into-khashoggi|access-date=January 19, 2021|website=The Guardian|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

On February 4, 2021, the Biden administration announced that the U.S. was ending its support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen. President Biden in his first visit to the State Department as president said "this war has to end" and that the conflict has created "a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knickmeyer |first1=Ellen |date=February 5, 2021 |title=Biden ending US support for Saudi-led offensive in Yemen |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-end-support-saudi-offenseive-yemen-b68f58493dbfc530b9fcfdb80a13098f |website=Associated Press |access-date=February 5, 2021}}</ref> However, the details of the end of American involvement in the war have yet to be released as of April 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Emmons|first1=Alex|title=Months After Biden Promised to End Support for Yemen War, Congress Still Has No Details|url=https://theintercept.com/2021/04/07/biden-yemen-war-congress-end/|access-date=8 April 2021|website=Intercept|date=April 7, 2021}}</ref>

In September 2021, Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan met in Saudi Arabia with Crown Prince Bin Salman to discuss the [[Finance:Price of oil|high oil prices]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Top White House aide discussed oil prices with Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/white-house-said-top-aide-planned-discuss-oil-prices-with-saudi-arabia-2021-09-30/ |work=Reuters |date=1 October 2021}}</ref> The record-high energy prices were driven by a global surge in demand as the world quit the economic recession caused by COVID-19.<ref>{{cite news |title=Energy crunch: How high will oil prices climb? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/9/27/energy-crunch-how-high-will-oil-prices-climb |work=Al-Jazeera |date=27 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=OPEC-Plus in Driver’s Seat As Global Energy Crisis Intensifies |url=https://www.naturalgasintel.com/opec-plus-in-drivers-seat-as-global-energy-crisis-intensifies/ |work=Natural Gas Intelligence |date=6 October 2021}}</ref>

===United Arab Emirates===
Under the Biden administration, the former adviser to Donald Trump, Thomas J. Barrack Jr. was arrested by the authorities for his role as a foreign lobbyist for the United Arab Emirates, allowing a foreign nation to meddle in the 2016 United States presidential election campaign. Besides, Barrack was also accused of obstruction of justice by giving false statements to the investigators.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/20/us/thomas-barrack-trump-indicted.html|title=Thomas Barrack, Trump Fund-Raiser, Is Indicted on Lobbying Charge|accessdate=20 July 2021|website=The New York Times|date=July 20, 2021|last1=Lafraniere|first1=Sharon|last2=Rashbaum|first2=William K.}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1413316/download|title=The US District Court Indictment against Rashid Al Malik, Thomas Bahrrak and Matthew Grimes|accessdate=16 July 2021|website=US Department of Justice}}</ref> The DOJ also prosecuted some men for funneling more than $3.5 million to Hillary Clinton from George Nader, the royal adviser of the UAE.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-ceo-and-seven-others-charged-multi-million-dollar-conduit-campaign-contribution|title=California CEO and Seven Others Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Conduit Campaign Contribution Case|accessdate=3 December 2019|website=The US Department of Justice|date=December 3, 2019}}</ref> 
However, while federal prosecutors accused the Emirates of interfering in American politics from both sides, the relations with the Arab nation during Biden’s presidency didn’t witness much of the expected changes. In fact, the UAE was seen escaping its blunder-filled history of relations with the US, despite Biden’s repetitive criticism against the Emirates' human rights violations and its attempts of infiltrating the US politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/uae-election-biden_n_6111678ee4b0710ba2df0478|title='Who Are They Paying Secretly Now?': Signs Of UAE Meddling In U.S. Politics Go Ignored|accessdate=10 August 2021|website=HuffPost|date=August 10, 2021}}</ref> Moreover, the Biden administration also permitted the arms sales of $23 billion to the UAE, which was initiated by Donald Trump and involved a transfer of sophisticated weaponry like the F-35 fighter jets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-united-arab-emirates-sale-trump_n_60761e0fe4b01654bb7754bb|title=Joe Biden Is Proceeding With Donald Trump's Biggest Arms Deal|accessdate=14 April 2021|website=HuffPost|date=April 13, 2021}}</ref> The US Justice Department did not charge any Emirati in the case. However, Barrack’s indictment identified three UAE officials who were hosts at his reception in the Gulf nation after Trump’s 2016 elections, and two others who were involved. Amongst the hosts was Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE’s national security adviser Tahnoun bin Zayed and director of the Emirati intelligence service, Ali Mohammed Hammad Al Shamsi. The fourth Emirati official was Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli, who “tasked” Barrack to push Emirati interests with America. Another official was Yousef Al Otaiba, who asked to remain anonymous in discussions over private matters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-28/uae-royals-said-to-direct-tom-barrack-s-influence-campaign?sref=nAHOTXiV|title=UAE Royals Said to Direct Tom Barrack's Influence Campaign|accessdate=28 September 2021|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=September 28, 2021}}</ref>

===Worldwide LGBT rights===
On February 4, 2021, Biden issued a presidential memorandum for expanding protection of the [[Social:LGBT community|LGBTQI]] rights worldwide, which includes the possibility to impose financial sanctions.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Alper|first1=Alexandra|last2=Shalal|first2=Andrea|date=February 5, 2021|title=Biden calls for expanded efforts to protect LGBTQ rights globally|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-lgbt-idUSKBN2A42KF|work=Reuters|access-date=February 21, 2021}}</ref>

==Approval ratings and image==
Very early in Biden's presidency, opinion polls found that Biden's approval ratings were steadier than Trump's, with an average approval rating of 55% and an average disapproval rate of 39%.<ref>{{cite web|last=Enten|first=Harry|date=February 21, 2021|title=Analysis: Biden's polling is steadier than Trump's|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/21/politics/biden-approval-poll-of-the-week/index.html|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref> Biden's early approval ratings have been more polarized than Trump's, with 98% of Democrats, 61% of independents and 11% of Republicans approving of Biden's presidency in February 2021, a party gap of 87%.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 4, 2021|title=Biden Begins Term With 57% Job Approval|url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/329348/biden-begins-term-job-approval.aspx|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=Gallup.com}}</ref> Around the end of his first hundred days in office, Biden's approval rating was higher than Trump's but was the third worst since the presidency of Harry S. Truman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Politi|first=Daniel|date=April 25, 2021|title=Biden's 100-Day Approval Rating Is Better Than Trump's, but Third-Worst Since Truman|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/biden-100-day-approval-poll-trump.html|access-date=April 25, 2021|website=Slate Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bowden|first=John|date=April 25, 2021|title=Biden approval rating stands at 52 percent after almost 100 days in office|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/550141-biden-approval-rating-stands-at-52-percent-after-almost-100-days-in|access-date=April 25, 2021|website=The Hill}}</ref> Journalist and author Alexander Nazaryan commented in April 2021 that "[Biden] is enjoying high approval ratings and courting comparisons to Franklin Roosevelt and [[Biography:Lyndon B. Johnson|Lyndon Johnson]], who oversaw extraordinary expansions of the federal government's role in Americans' lives during their respective presidencies. That's a stark turnabout from the way Biden was viewed by some during the Democratic primaries: that is, as something of a has-been and a moderate unsuited for a time of immoderation." According to Nazaryan, Biden's approach "has been marked by an obvious rejection of the daily chaos of the Trump years but also, more subtly, by a no-less-decisive rejection of Obama's proceduralism. His aggressive approach to governing has put Republicans on the back foot, while delighting progressives who didn't think that the 78-year-old former Delaware senator had a wholly original act in the works", including progressive icon and MIT linguist [[Biography:Noam Chomsky|Noam Chomsky]].<ref name="Nazaryan 2021"/>

Following the fall of Kabul and the surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant in July and August 2021, Biden's approval rating began to somewhat steadily decline, from a high of 52.7% approval on July 26, 2021 to 45.9% approval by September 3, 2021, according to FiveThirtyEight.<ref>{{cite web|last=Skelley|first=Geoffrey|date=August 27, 2021|title=Biden's Declining Approval Rating Is Not Just About Afghanistan|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bidens-declining-approval-rating-is-not-just-about-afghanistan/|access-date=August 28, 2021|website=FiveThirtyEight}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Silver|first=Nate|date=2021-01-28|title=How Popular Is Joe Biden?|url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/|access-date=2021-09-06|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==


{{Sourceattribution|Presidency of Joe Biden|1}}