Biden Sinks To Lowest Approval As Presidency Comes To An End
President Joe Biden is heading toward the end of his presidency under a cloud of controversy, with his legacy facing significant challenges.
A recent Gallup poll revealed the president’s approval rating has dropped to a mere 39 percent. This marks a troubling end to 2024 for Biden, who is currently on vacation.
The poll noted that “since at least 2010, the nation has been stuck in a public opinion rut. Presidential job approval has rarely surpassed 50%, congressional job approval hasn’t exceeded 36%, and except for a brief period before the pandemic in 2020, less than 40% of Americans have expressed satisfaction with the direction of the country.”
Gallup’s final poll for the year also showed Congress holding a dismal 17 percent approval rating, while only 20 percent of Americans expressed satisfaction with the nation’s trajectory.
One of the most contentious points of Biden’s presidency came with his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, a move critics have compared to the scandals surrounding former President Richard Nixon.
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, co-host of The Five, accused the president of being complicit in Hunter’s questionable business dealings, which congressional investigations have suggested border on the illegal and involve the president and other family members.
“It’s clear to me the president has known all along about his son’s questionable business practices,” Pirro asserted.
The president’s pardon wasn’t limited to the gun and tax charges for which Hunter was convicted and awaiting sentencing. Instead, it spanned an 11-year period, from 2014 to 2024, covering a time when Joe Biden, as vice president, oversaw U.S.-Ukraine relations during a period of crisis. During this time, Hunter Biden joined the board of a Ukrainian energy company, earning millions despite lacking relevant experience.
Pirro highlighted these concerns, saying, “And some of those years encompass the years that David Weiss, the so-called special counsel—if you can even call him that—allowed the statute of limitations to run in Hunter’s highest earning years, which undoubtedly involved his father and his ‘business’ dealings.”
Pirro criticized what she described as repeated cover-ups, stating, “Look, they have done everything they can to try and cover up what they did. They have denied, they have lied. Joe Biden started out this presidency by saying, ‘I know nothing about my son’s businesses,’ and he’s ending his presidency by lying again and pardoning his son.”
The sweeping pardon, covering January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024, included Hunter Biden’s convictions for lying about drug use on a federal gun purchase form and nine counts related to unpaid taxes amounting to at least $1.4 million between 2016 and 2019.
Pirro argued the pardon revealed fear of future repercussions. “The bottom line here is that they’re afraid of something. They’re afraid of the Trump Justice Department being weaponized and going after Hunter for things David Weiss did not indict him for. And only Donald Trump can speak to that issue,” she said.
“They knew that jail time was coming for Hunter Biden. He’s convicted of two felonies—not one, two,” she emphasized. “And if Joe Biden says there is no reasonable prosecutor who would look at these facts and reach the same conclusion, then why didn’t he fire Merrick Garland?”
Pirro also criticized the Justice Department’s handling of the case, stating, “If the Justice Department is so selective in their prosecutions, fire the guy that you hired, okay? Let’s talk about the fact that he’s always said no one is above the law. Hunter Biden is a classic example of someone above the law because he was never even sentenced.”
“Most of the pardons we hear about are for individuals who have served their time, paid their debt to society, and are seeking a clean slate,” Pirro added. “Not this case. We won’t even know what his sentence would have been.”
As Biden’s presidency concludes, his decision to pardon Hunter remains a highly debated aspect of his administration, leaving an indelible mark on his legacy.