With a majority of Americans disapproving of his performance, President Joe Biden will defend his presidency on Wednesday in a farewell speech highlighting his administration's accomplishments. The speech comes just days before he leaves office and the inauguration of Donald Trump.
President Biden's speech will largely focus on the United States' economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. He will boast about how the U.S. added 16.6 million jobs during his tenure, marking a record for a single term of a U.S. president. While the U.S. has posted impressive job numbers in recent years, he entered office a year after the U.S. lost 9.5 million workers during the pandemic.
He is also expected to highlight his administration's support for Ukraine and how he helped strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's participation by adding Finland and Sweden to NATO.
"Four years ago, we stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities. We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War," Biden wrote in a letter previewing tonight's address. "But we came together as Americans, and we braved through it. We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure."
But he exits office with a majority of Americans not supporting his work. As of December, his approval rating was 39%, according to Gallup. His approval rating at the end of his first term is tied for the lowest since President Jimmy Carter had a 34% approval rating one month before leaving office.
The White House said the address would begin at 8 p.m. ET. Scripps News will begin coverage of the speech at 7:50 p.m. ET.
White House principal deputy communications director Herbie Ziskend insisted that the Biden administration is not focused on job approval numbers as he leaves office.
"The focus is not on approvals, it's not on short-term politics," he said. "It's to position the country to seize the opportunities of the future and that's what this presidency was about. That's why the president sought to rebuild our middle class to rebuild our economy - 16 million new jobs."
President Biden leaves office after being the first president not to seek a second full term since President Lyndon B. Johnson.
RELATED STORY | Biden, Trump revive presidential tradition with post-election Oval Office meeting
Biden opted not to run for reelection in July after a debate performance that faced intense scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats alike. Despite the performance, President Biden maintained on Friday that he could have still defeated Trump had he remained in the race.
“I think I would have beaten Trump, could’ve beaten Trump,” he said. And I think that Kamala could’ve beaten Trump and would’ve beat Trump. I thought it was important to unify the party. And when the party was worried about whether or not I was going to be able to move, even though I thought I could win again, I thought it was better to unify the party. It was the greatest honor of my life to be president of the United States but I didn’t want to be one who caused a party that wasn’t unified to lose an election and that’s why I stepped aside but I was confident she could win.”
