Joe Biden’s term has ended, his legacy is already etched in the shattered lives and destroyed homes of Palestinians in Gaza and in the mounting struggles of working-class Americans. Aerial photos of entire neighborhoods reduced to ash, whether in Los Angeles or Gaza, serve as stark reminders of the consequences of unchecked power, corporate greed, and a political system indifferent to human suffering.
Biden’s administration will be remembered not only for its failure to prevent the genocide of Palestinians but for actively funding and enabling it. Over the last 15 months, the U.S. has poured over $20 billion in military aid into Israel, contributing to the destruction of over 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure and the deaths of more than 100,000 Palestinians, including 13,000 children. These are not just numbers; they represent families, homes, and a future systematically obliterated with Biden’s support.
A Ceasefire Too Late: The Blood on Biden’s Hands
The recent ceasefire, though welcomed, comes far too late for the thousands already buried under rubble. Biden’s administration repeatedly vetoed UN resolutions calling for an immediate halt to hostilities, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to Israel’s war machine. As international outcry grew, the White House continued to greenlight arms shipments, including 2,000-pound U.S.-made bombs, turning a blind eye to mounting war crimes.
Despite public pressure, Biden chose to prioritize geopolitical interests and defense industry profits over Palestinian lives. The ceasefire came not because of U.S. diplomacy, but in spite of it, and the Biden administration’s efforts to delay it will remain an undeniable stain on his presidency.
Cuba’s Starvation and Biden’s Last-Minute Reversal
Biden’s hypocrisy extends beyond Gaza. His decision to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list, a demand activists have pursued for years, was a cynical, last-minute act of damage control. The designation, imposed by the Trump administration, deepened Cuba’s economic hardships and caused severe food and medicine shortages. For four years, the Biden administration upheld these measures, forcing millions of Cubans into extreme deprivation.
By the time Biden reversed course, much of the damage was done. The reversal, while welcome, feels like a desperate attempt to salvage a tarnished foreign policy record rather than a genuine concern for Cuban lives. This move, coupled with his failure to lift the crippling embargo, exposes his administration’s callousness toward those suffering under U.S. economic warfare.
Military Spending vs. Domestic Neglect
Biden’s legacy is one of misplaced priorities. As homelessness in the U.S. reached record highs, surpassing 650,000 people, his administration funneled tens of billions into military aid for Israel and Ukraine. In just one instance, Biden requested an additional $8 billion in weapons for Israel while U.S. cities were grappling with housing crises, food insecurity, and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
According to a report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, more than 7.3 million Americans struggle to afford housing, yet Biden signed off on the largest Pentagon budget in history, $886 billion for 2024, with increases expected under Trump. Each missile dropped on Gaza came at the expense of schools, hospitals, and infrastructure at home, yet Biden and his Democratic allies continued to prioritize global hegemony over the needs of their own people.
Environmental and Economic Failures
On the domestic front, Biden’s failures extend beyond social programs to the climate crisis. His administration approved more oil drilling permits than the Trump administration, contributing to wildfires and extreme weather events that have displaced thousands across the U.S. While Biden claimed to be a climate advocate, his actions betrayed a commitment to the fossil fuel industry, leaving communities vulnerable to disasters exacerbated by climate change.
Lessons from Iraq: The Long-Term Impact of War
Biden’s policies in Gaza mirror the devastating long-term consequences of U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Fallujah, children are still being born with birth defects caused by the depleted uranium munitions used during the U.S. occupation. Similarly, the destruction of Gaza will have enduring public health and environmental consequences that could take decades to fully comprehend.
Just as Iraq remains a cautionary tale of U.S. interventionism, Gaza will serve as a permanent reminder of Biden’s complicity in what many have called a genocide. Future generations will inherit the consequences of his administration’s choices, choices made to satisfy defense contractors and political donors.
Biden’s legacy, much like his predecessors, is not an anomaly but a feature of a deeply entrenched system of endless war and economic exploitation. It is a reminder that the suffering of the Palestinian people, the Cuban people, and the American working class are all connected, symptoms of a global order built on profit-driven militarism.
The People Must Define Biden’s Legacy
History will remember Biden not for his attempts to appease progressive critics with last-minute gestures, but for the lives lost under his watch. It is the responsibility of people, activists, organizers, and everyday citizens, to ensure that his legacy is one of accountability and resistance.
As Che Guevara once said, “You North Americans are very lucky. You are fighting the most important fight of all, you live in the belly of the beast.”
We must recognize our position within this empire and work tirelessly to dismantle the war machine that Bush, Obama, Biden, and countless others have sustained. Whether it’s through protest, advocacy, or direct action, the people have the power to define the true legacy of U.S. presidents.
Conclusion: A Call to Action
Biden’s legacy, written in blood and betrayal, serves as a sobering reminder of the human cost of empire. But it is not set in stone. The fight for justice, for Palestinians, Cubans, and Americans, must continue, ensuring that Biden’s crimes are neither forgotten nor repeated.
The true legacy of any president is not written by politicians but by the people who refuse to accept injustice as the status quo. Let Biden’s failures be a rallying cry for those who seek a world where human dignity triumphs over profit and power.
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