Joe Biden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Biden
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 46th President of the United States | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| Vice President | Kamala Harris |
| Preceded by | Donald Trump |
| Succeeded by | Donald Trump |
| 47th Vice President of the United States | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Dick Cheney |
| Succeeded by | Mike Pence |
| United States Senator from Delaware |
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| In office January 3, 1973 – January 15, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | J. Caleb Boggs |
| Succeeded by | Ted Kaufman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
November 20, 1942 Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (since 1969) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (1968–1969) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | |
| Relatives | Biden family |
| Residence | White House |
| Education | |
| Occupation |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
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Other offices
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician. He served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025.
Biden is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming president, he was the 47th Vice President from 2009 to 2017. He served under President Barack Obama. Biden also represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate for many years, from 1973 to 2009.
In April 2023, Biden announced he would run for president again. However, on July 21, 2024, he decided not to seek re-election. He was the first U.S. president to do this after getting enough support to be nominated. Biden then supported Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Time in the Senate
- Campaigns for President and Vice President
- Serving as Vice President
- 2020 Presidential Election
- President of the United States (2021-2025)
- Personal Life and Family
- Political Views
- Awards and Honors
- Interesting Facts About Joe Biden
- Joe Biden Quotes
- Related Pages
- See also
Early Life and Education
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His family was Irish and Catholic. His father, Joe Sr., was a businessman.
When Joe Biden was young, his family moved to Wilmington, Delaware. He also had a stutter when he was a child. In high school, Biden played football and baseball. He went to college at the University of Delaware and Syracuse University. He did not fight in the Vietnam War because he was in college and had asthma as a child.
Time in the Senate
For many years, Joe Biden was a U.S. Senator for Delaware. He was elected to the Senate in 1972 when he was 29 years old. This was a bit of a surprise because the other candidate, J. Caleb Boggs, had more experience. Biden was one of the youngest people ever to become a U.S. Senator. He turned 30, the minimum age, before he officially started his term.
Biden was re-elected to the Senate six times. He became a strong supporter of Israel. He once said that if a country like Israel didn't exist, the U.S. would need to create one. Later in his Senate career, Biden led important committees. He was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This committee handles American issues with other countries. When Biden was chair, they dealt with the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 War in Iraq.
Biden also chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee helped choose judges for the Supreme Court. Biden thought that some candidates, like Clarence Thomas and Robert Bork, should not be on the Court. Even though U.S. senators work in Washington, D.C., Biden took the train home to Delaware every night.
Before becoming vice president, Biden was not one of the wealthiest senators. He said this was because he was young when he was first elected. In November 2009, his total wealth was about $27,012.
Campaigns for President and Vice President
Biden ran for president three times: in 1988, 2008, and 2020. In 1988, he was seen as a good choice at first. But he stopped his campaign after it was found that he had copied parts of a speech from a British politician.
Biden tried again to become the Democratic Party's candidate in the 2008 presidential election. He focused mainly on foreign policy, especially getting U.S. troops out of Iraq. Many people thought he would be a good Secretary of State. He ended his campaign on January 3, 2008, after not getting many votes in the Iowa election.
However, he later became Barack Obama's choice for vice president. Obama chose him because of his knowledge about Iraq and his popularity with the working class. When Biden was running for president, he had criticized Obama for his lack of experience. But he later fully supported Obama. His opponent for vice president was Sarah Palin. She had less experience but was seen as more interesting by the media.
Before the election, there were debates between the candidates. In the debate between Biden and Palin, many people felt that Biden knew more about how to run America. When Obama was elected president on November 4, 2008, Biden was elected vice president.
Serving as Vice President
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Joe Biden became Vice President on January 20, 2009. He was the first person from Delaware and the first Roman Catholic to hold this office. When he became Vice President, Biden said he would do things differently from Dick Cheney, the previous Vice President. Biden stated that his time as Vice President would be unique.
Biden's main job was to be an advisor to President Obama. He mostly advised on foreign policy and the economy. Obama often asked for Biden's ideas on big decisions. This included choosing people for his Cabinet and how to handle the War in Afghanistan. Obama also put Biden in charge of groups to help the working class. Biden also watched how money was spent from Obama's stimulus bill. As Vice President, Biden traveled to the Middle East several times for Obama and the U.S. In 2011, Biden led talks about the national budget and debt. On November 6, 2012, Biden was re-elected for a second term as Vice President with President Barack Obama.
In August 2015, Biden considered running for president again in the 2016 U.S. election. He even started a group to explore his chances. However, on October 21, he announced that he would not enter the race for the Democratic nomination. He made this announcement from the White House Rose Garden with his wife and President Obama by his side.
Biden never had to cast a tie-breaking vote in the United States Senate. This made him the longest-serving Vice President not to do so. After winning the election, Biden served as Vice President until January 20, 2017.
2020 Presidential Election
After leaving office as Vice President, Biden hinted at running for president in the 2020 election. In December 2016, he said "never say never" about running again. On January 13, 2017, he said he would not run. However, four days later, he changed his mind, saying, "I'll run if I can walk."
Many news outlets saw Biden as a possible candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination. In March 2019, he said he might run. He officially started his campaign on April 25, 2019.
In April 2020, Biden became the only candidate left in the Democratic primary. This made him the likely candidate for the nomination. At first, he lost the first three primary elections to Senator Bernie Sanders. But after winning the South Carolina primary, he gained momentum. He then won most of the "Super Tuesday" races.
Biden made several promises during his campaign. He said he would protect the Roe v. Wade decision, create a public option for health insurance, and support the Equality Act. He also promised free community college and a large plan to fight climate change. He supported rules for fracking rather than a complete ban.
In early 2020, Biden promised he would pick a woman as his running mate. He also said his first Supreme Court appointment would be a Black woman. In August 2020, he chose California U.S. Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.
On November 3, 2020, experts predicted Biden had a high chance of winning against Donald Trump. He defeated Trump in the general election. He was officially declared the winner on November 7, 2020. Biden received over 81 million votes, which was the most votes ever for a candidate in a U.S. presidential election. However, Trump did not accept the results and tried to overturn the election.
President of the United States (2021-2025)
Biden was elected the 46th President of the United States in November 2020. He defeated the current president, Donald Trump. Trump was the first sitting president to lose re-election since George H. W. Bush in 1992.
Biden became the second non-current vice president to be elected president. He was also the first Democrat to do so.
First 100 Days as President
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Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021.
His first actions as president included rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. He also ended the national emergency at the border with Mexico. Biden rejoined the World Health Organization. He also put in place a 100-day rule for wearing face masks on federal property. He also took steps to stop hunger in the United States. His presidency has focused on his "Build Back Better Plan".
On February 4, 2021, he announced that the United States would stop giving weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These weapons were being used in the Yemeni Civil War.
On March 11, 2021, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. This was a $1.9 trillion plan to help the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan included direct payments to most Americans. It also extended unemployment benefits and provided money for vaccines and schools. The plan also helped small businesses and local governments. Biden tried to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but this part was removed from the plan.
In March 2021, more migrants began coming to the United States from Mexico. Biden told migrants, "Don't come over." He said the U.S. was planning for migrants to "apply for asylum in place." This meant they could apply without leaving their home countries. He also said that adult migrants "are being sent back." This referred to a policy from the previous administration for quick deportations. Biden had earlier said his government would not deport unaccompanied migrant children. He asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help care for children separated at the border.
By March 23, 2021, all of his cabinet members were approved by the United States Senate.
Key Events in 2021
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On April 22–23, Biden held a global climate meeting. He announced that the U.S. would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50%–52% by 2030. This would be compared to 2005 levels.
On April 28, 2021, Biden spoke to the United States Congress in his State of the Union Address. The House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, led this meeting. It was the first time two women led an address to Congress.
On June 17, Biden signed a law making Juneteenth a federal holiday. This was the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1986.
By early July 2021, most American troops were leaving or had left Afghanistan. On August 15, the Afghan government collapsed during an attack by the Taliban. Biden ordered 6,000 American troops to help evacuate American staff and Afghan allies. He was criticized for how he handled the withdrawal. He defended his choice, saying Americans should not "die in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves." He noted that the "Afghan military collapsed [against the Taliban], sometimes without trying to fight."
In August 2021, the Biden administration pushed for a bill to improve infrastructure. This bill could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030. He also supported lower taxes for people who invest in renewable energy and electric vehicles. The bill also included a fee on methane emissions. The Senate passed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. The House also approved it in early November 2021. This bill covered transport, utilities, and internet. Biden signed the bill into law in mid-November 2021.
Major Events in 2022
At the start of 2022, Biden's approval ratings were low. He began speaking more in public. Early in the year, Biden supported changing the U.S. Senate filibuster rule. This would help pass a voting rights act.
In January, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced he would retire. This gave Biden his first chance to nominate a justice to the Supreme Court. Biden had promised to nominate the court's first Black female justice. On February 25, Biden nominated D.C. Appeals Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Breyer. She was approved on April 7.
During 2022, President Biden saw a rise in gasoline prices and product costs. This was due to rising inflation. Some people blamed Biden's American Rescue Plan for this. In May 2022, there was a nationwide shortage of infant formula. During this time, "I Did That!" stickers became popular. These stickers showed Biden pointing to the phrase, criticizing him for high gas prices.
2024 Presidential Campaign
On April 25, 2023, Biden confirmed he would run for re-election in the 2024 election. Kamala Harris would again be his running mate. On March 12, 2024, he gained enough support to win the Democratic nomination. This made him the likely candidate.
However, on July 21, he decided not to run. He wrote that this was "in the best interest of my party and the country." He then supported Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. In the general election, Trump defeated Harris.
Personal Life and Family
While in college, Joe Biden married his first wife, Neilia Hunter. They had three children: two sons, Beau and Robert, and a daughter, Naomi. After college, he became a lawyer. He also served on a County Council, which is a group that helps run a county.
In 1972, Biden's family was in a car accident. Neilia and Naomi were killed. Beau and Robert were badly hurt but both survived. Beau later became the Attorney General in Delaware. He also served as a soldier in Iraq. Beau died from brain cancer on May 30, 2015, in Bethesda, Maryland. He was 46 years old. Biden thought about resigning as vice president because of his son's death.
Biden married his second wife, Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden, in 1977. She is a teacher and was the former Second Lady of the United States. In 1981, they had a daughter, Ashley. Ashley is now a social worker. In 1988, Biden had bleeding in his brain and needed two brain surgeries.
Biden lives just outside of Wilmington, Delaware. He often goes home there on weekends, even after becoming president. By November 2020, the Bidens were worth about $9 million. This wealth mainly came from Biden's book sales and speaking fees after his vice presidency.
Political Views
Biden is a moderate Democrat. His views are strongly shaped by Catholic social teaching.
Biden has suggested partly undoing the corporate tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He believes this would not harm businesses' ability to hire.
He voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Biden strongly supports the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He has a plan to expand it, paid for by reversing some tax cuts. Biden's plan aims to give health insurance coverage to 97% of Americans. This includes creating a public health insurance option.
Biden believes action must be taken on global warming. As a senator, he supported a strong climate bill. Biden is against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He wants the U.S. to have a carbon-free power sector by 2035. He also wants to stop all emissions by 2050. His plan includes rejoining the Paris Agreement, protecting nature, and building green buildings. Biden supports environmental justice, which means making sure everyone benefits from environmental efforts. He has worked to make homes more energy efficient and resistant to climate disasters. This helps fight climate change, saves money, and improves health.
Biden has said the U.S. needs to be "tough" on China. He calls China the "most serious competitor" that challenges the United States' "prosperity, security, and democratic values."
Biden has stated he is against changing governments by force. However, he supports giving non-military help to groups that oppose current governments.
Awards and Honors
Biden has received special degrees from many universities. These include the University of Scranton (1976), Saint Joseph's University (1981), and his old schools, the University of Delaware (2004) and Syracuse University (2009).
In 1980, Biden received the Chancellor Medal from Syracuse University. In 2005, he got the George Arents Pioneer Medal from Syracuse. This is the highest award for former students, given for "excellence in public affairs."
In 2008, Biden won the Best of Congress Award from Working Mother magazine. This was for "improving the American quality of life through family-friendly work policies." Also in 2008, Biden and Senator Richard Lugar received the Hilal-i-Pakistan award from the Government of Pakistan. This was for their support for Pakistan. In 2009, Biden received The Golden Medal of Freedom award from Kosovo. This is Kosovo's highest award, given for his strong support for their independence in the late 1990s.
Biden is also a member of the Delaware Volunteer Firemen's Association Hall of Fame.
Interesting Facts About Joe Biden
- At 78, Biden is the oldest person to become president.
- He served in the Senate longer than any other President or Vice President.
- He is the first president from the state of Delaware.
- Biden is the second Catholic president. The first was John F. Kennedy.
- In his first month as president, Biden signed more executive orders than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Biden is the first president since Ronald Reagan in 1981 to have all his first Cabinet choices approved.
- Biden has five special degrees from universities. He also earned the "Best of Congress Award."
- In 2017, President Barack Obama gave Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction.
- In 2020, Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris were named Time Person of the Year.
Joe Biden Quotes
- "Capitalism without competition isn't capitalism; it's exploitation."
- "Innovation can only occur where you can breathe free."
- "The greatest gift is the ability to forget - to forget the bad things and focus on the good."
- "Corruption is just another form of tyranny."
Related Pages
See also
In Spanish: Joe Biden para niños
