President Joe Biden, 81, has taken 532 vacation days in less than four years, accounting for roughly 40% of the 1,326 days he has been in office. According to data from the Republican National Committee (RNC), the average American, who receives 11 vacation days annually, would take approximately 48 years to accumulate the same amount of time off.
Critics, particularly from the Republican Party, have pointed to Biden’s time away from the White House as evidence of his lack of leadership. Mark Paoletta, former general counsel of the White House budget office under Donald Trump, remarked, “The image of Biden fast asleep and lying flat on his back in his chair at the beach while America and the world is on fire will define the Biden presidency.” Paoletta further criticized Biden for his handling of pressing issues, stating, “Inflation has been out of control; prices still way too high; our border overrun with millions of illegal aliens committing violent crimes on our citizens; the world in a perilous state; and all Biden wants to do is go on vacation and check out — for more than 530 days.”
The RNC highlighted that Biden’s recent beach day in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware marked his “16th straight day on vacation.” Speculation has grown that Biden’s lower public profile since late July may be due to frustration with fellow Democrats, such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who allegedly pushed him not to seek re-election.
Comparatively, Biden’s 40% vacation rate surpasses former President Donald Trump’s 26% time away from the White House, which totaled 381 of his 1,461 days in office. Former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama spent just 11% of their presidencies on vacation, while Jimmy Carter took only 79 days off, or 5% of his term, via The Post.
Despite these numbers, White House aides insist that Biden continues to work remotely while on break. However, Biden has been seen relaxing at Rehoboth Beach, sparking further criticism. Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York sarcastically remarked, “We probably would have been better off if he did even less and went on vacation more.” She added, “Sadly, he repealed President Trump’s border policies, lifted sanctions on Iran, and implemented anti-energy policies that drove up the cost of gas, food, and utility bills.”
In response to the criticism, White House spokesman Andrew Bates defended Biden, stating, “It’s not a surprise that the same geniuses who attack President Biden for petting hero dogs and liking ice cream can’t count, but he has taken fewer vacation days than the modern average for presidents and works hard every day, wherever he is.”