The question of who is the better president between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is subjective and depends on various metrics and personal values. I'll provide some comparative information based on public perception and economic indicators.

Public Perception

Americans have differing views on both presidents' performance. As of April 2025, more Americans attribute responsibility for the current economy to Trump (46%) than to Biden (27%), with 21% believing both share responsibility1. This perception has remained consistent since March 2025, with Trump now in his second term.

In terms of retrospective evaluations, more voters say Trump was a good or great president (41%) compared to those who say Biden was a good or great president (28%). This difference is largely driven by Trump supporters' highly positive views of Trump's presidency, with 81% rating him as good or great, while Biden supporters are somewhat less enthusiastic, with 57% rating Biden's presidency as good or great2.

Economic Performance

Inflation and Interest Rates

During the transition between administrations, there were significant economic changes:

• Mortgage interest rates rose from approximately 2.9% when Trump left office to around 7% during Biden's term5
• The 10-year Treasury bill rate increased from 0.9% during Trump's last year to 4.3% after three and a half years of Biden's presidency5

Some economists and analysts point out that Trump's policies involved extensive monetary expansion that provided short-term economic benefits, while Biden had to deal with the subsequent inflation challenges3.

Public Confidence

Voters did not express high confidence in either president across various dimensions, including:

• Mental and physical fitness for office
• Choosing good advisers
• Acting ethically
• Respecting democratic institutions

Biden received relatively more confidence in respecting democratic institutions (38%) and acting ethically (34%), while having lower ratings on other measures2.

Both presidents have had different challenges and contexts during their terms, and Americans' evaluations reflect the complex nature of presidential performance assessment. The determination of who was "better" ultimately depends on which aspects of governance and which outcomes one values most.