President Joe Biden has been frequently criticized for his tendency to take extended periods away from the White House. A recent report published by The New York Post revealed that he spent a total of 138 days, or 37% of the year, away from the White House in 2023. This amounts to more than one-third of the year that the President was not actively working in the country’s capital.
Despite being in office for only a short period, Biden has already spent a total of 417 days on vacation. This amounts to 39% of his presidency thus far, and if he continues at this pace, he is on track to spend more days on vacation than any other president in history. The current record holder is former President George W. Bush, who spent 1,020 days away from the White House during his two terms in office.
It is worth noting that Biden’s frequent vacations have not gone unnoticed by the public. His recent trip to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands sparked a backlash, as many felt that it was inappropriate for the President to take a vacation while the country was facing numerous crises. On Wednesday, the same day the report was published, Biden began his most recent vacation, and the Republican National Committee Research team tweeted, “Biden has arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he’ll spend the rest of the year at the beach. Biden has spent 417 days – 39% of his presidency – on vacation.”
Biden just got off Christmas vacation and now he’s off for a second, more tropical vacation in St Croix.
Heck of a gig if you can steal it. pic.twitter.com/PNHtYTFHjh
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) December 27, 2023
The timing of Biden’s trips has also raised eyebrows, as he has been known to leave Washington during times of crisis and travel to vacation destinations. For example, during the wildfires in Hawaii, Biden spent a week in Lake Tahoe and only a few hours in Maui, which many considered to be insensitive. This pattern has led many to question the President’s commitment to his duties and his priorities.
Moreover, Biden’s frequent vacations have also come at a significant cost to taxpayers. The daily cost of operating Air Force One is estimated to be around $200,000 per hour, which means that each of Biden’s trips comes with a hefty price tag for American taxpayers. This has raised concerns about the President’s excessive spending and whether it is necessary given the current state of the country’s economy.
🚨 JUST IN: Joe Biden has arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he’ll spend the next week at the beach.
Biden has spent 417 days — nearly 40% of his Presidency — on vacation.
WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!!pic.twitter.com/LwHr7JG1Uk
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) December 27, 2023
Biden’s vacationing habits have also sparked comparisons to his predecessors. Former President Donald Trump spent a total of 381 days away from the White House during his term in office, while former President Barack Obama spent 328 days away during his two terms. These numbers pale in comparison to Biden’s 417 days on vacation thus far, indicating that the current President has a significantly higher vacationing rate.
Biden has spent over 40% of his presidency out of office – days spent on vacation, personal, or just regular days at one of his Delaware homes.
Biden, the Slacker in Chief has spent more days on vacation, then the last three Presidents (Trump, Obama, Bush) took during their… pic.twitter.com/Inh3NMF3nc
— ℳℯℊ𝒽𝒶𝓃 (@blue_eyes_0928) December 26, 2023
The recent report by The New York Post has shed light on the extent to which he prioritizes vacations over his duties as the leader of the nation. The high cost of his vacations, as well as the timing and duration of these trips, have raised concerns and sparked backlash from the public.
