Joe Biden

Alex Aviña: Biden's Deployment of Troops to the Border is Historical Norm, not Exception

The historian of Mexico notes that the US-Mexico border was formed by an American military invasion, and has been in a militarized state since politicians have linked migration to national security concerns like drugs and terrorism. 

Why are the Dems Denying DC Self-Government?

Historian (and HNN Alum) Kyla Sommers connects the recent Senate rejection of DC's local crime legislation to the history of suspicion of Black political power in the District. 

The Classified Info Uproar Shows Americans' Distrust of Secrecy

by Katlyn Marie Carter

"This suspicion of secrecy is why the way in which we handle classified material matters — especially if American leaders want to maintain trust in our democracy."

Why Do "Secret" Documents Keep Showing Up in the Wrong Places?

by Matthew Connelly

The near-unilateral authority of presidents to declare material secret in the name of national security is intoxicating and it's nearly impossible for the chief executive to resist abusing it, creating not a "deep state" but a "dark state" of secrecy and impunity. 

As Biden Faces Documents Controversy, is it Time to Ask Why So Much is Classified?

Former Pentagon Special Counsel Oona Hathaway says that an excess of classification makes government accountability difficult to achieve, as well as contributing to potential criminality. 

One Term, Two Presidencies: Biden's Prospects under Divided Government

by Michael A. Genovese

If recent patterns prove out, the second half of Biden's term will be marked by executive orders with little prospect of significant legislation. 

How is the Biden Doctrine Working after Two Years?

by Matt Duss and Stephen Wertheim

After pledging to reorient foreign policy around the global issues affecting Americans – climate, disease, and ending "forever wars" – progress toward a Biden Doctrine has been incremental. 

"Amtrak Joe" Leaves Rail Workers in the Dust

by Kim Kelly

Why did the "most pro-union president" in modern times push through a negotiated settlement rejected by the majority of railroad union members, and what would Eugene Debs think? 

Is Gerontocracy the Problem?

by Cary Heinz

Although Biden, Trump, and other prominent elected officials represent a political leadership that's unprecedented for advanced age, it's not clear we can—or should—do anything about it. 

Why Didn't Joe Biden Go to War with Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve?

The policies the Federal Reserve has pursued in response to inflation threaten to treat the problem with a recession that will harm working families and potentially doom the Biden administration. Why hasn't the President pushed back against the bankers? 

Is the Recovery Act Driving Inflation?

by Robert Brent Toplin

Inflation is a global problem, not an American one. 

Biden, National Archives Sued for Delayed Release of JFK Assassination Records

Although the decision to delay a Congressionally-mandated release should not be taken as proof of any assassination conspiracy theories, historians argue the documents are necessary to fully understand a tumultuous period in the nation's history. 

The Risks of Declaring the Pandemic Over

by Molly Nebiolo

As long as America has had pandemics, it has had leaders who sought political benefit by declaring them over, so Joe Biden is in good company. But moving on needs to include planning ahead. 

Forget Policy Wins, Biden Needs to Tell Voters the Story of His Administration

by Julian Zelizer

The Biden administration and the Democrats have both legislative successes of their own and unpopular Republican positions to present to voters. Do they have a story that ties them together? 

Biden's Taiwan Rhetoric Risks Antagonizing China For No Gain

by Stephen Wertheim

The United States' "One China" policy is ambivalent, awkward and dissatisfying. But it's served to prevent a destructive war for decades. Biden's recent comments threaten to destabilize the arrangement. 

Is Biden Really the Most Pro-Union President?

Labor historian Erik Loomis says Biden is spending limited political capital to support workers and strikers, and that the bar for pro-labor presidencies is set extremely low. 

Why Were the Historians Advising Biden All White?

Historians of color, including Kenneth Mack and Manisha Sinha, have argued that it shouldn't be necessary to look outside of the United States, or all the way back to the Civil War, to find examples of institutionalized racism, demagoguery, voter suppression, and political violence. 

Historically Speaking, Biden's "Semi-Fascist" Description of MAGA is Correct

by Federico Finchelstein

The global authoritarian movement, of which MAGA is a part, is becoming increasingly intolerant of democracy and committed to fighting imagined threats to the nation. It's an ominous direction that tracks with the past rise of fascist regimes. 

Historians Respond to Biden's Student Debt Relief Order

How are historians responding to the Biden administration's order to forgive $10,000 of student debt for borrowers with incomes under $125,000?

President as Change Agent: Breakers vs. Builders

by Michael A. Genovese

While Joe Biden has recently enjoyed policy successes that point toward a revival of the Democrats' political fortunes, his brand of change is handicapped by a lack of excitement. Will Americans ultimately choose a "disruptor" over an incrementalist?