Despite concerns surrounding his work ethic and time spent on leisure activities, President Biden continues to take advantage of his ample free time. Since taking office in January 2021, the 81-year-old commander-in-chief has accumulated an impressive 532 vacation days, which equates to roughly 40% of his total time in office. This number is significantly higher than the average American’s annual vacation allowance of just 11 days. The data was compiled by the Republican National Committee, who argue that this staggering figure highlights the President’s lack of commitment to his role as leader of the free world.
Mark Paoletta, the general counsel of the White House budget office under former President Donald Trump, criticized the image of a seemingly disinterested Biden enjoying leisure time at the beach while serious issues remain unaddressed. With inflation on the rise and a porous southern border attracting millions of undocumented immigrants committing violent crimes against citizens, the world seems to be in an increasingly precarious state, yet President Biden appears more concerned with vacationing than addressing these pressing matters.
The RNC pointed out that last Saturday marked the 16th consecutive day of leisure time for President Biden at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. There has been some speculation as to why Biden may be deliberately keeping a lower public profile since late July, with rumors suggesting that he is unhappy with fellow Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi who have turned against him and urged him not to seek re-election.
According to The Post’s front-page report last year, President Biden spent all or part of 382 of the first 957 days of his presidency – about 40% – on personal overnight trips away from the White House. This puts him on track to potentially become the most idle commander-in-chief in American history. In comparison, former President Donald Trump spent 26% of his time in office on personal trips out of Washington, totaling 381 days over the course of his four years as President.
This rate is still lower than that of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, who both took vacations for just 11% of their two-term presidencies. Former President Jimmy Carter, known for being a workhorse, took only 79 days’ worth of breaks during his single term in office – accounting for just 5% of his time as President.
On Saturday, President Biden had lunch at Fieldstone Golf Club in New Castle County, Delaware with former Pennsylvania Senator Ted Kaufman. While presidential aides maintain that the President works remotely and remains on call even when on vacation, there have been several instances where he has been spotted napping on Rehoboth Beach.
New York Representative Nicole Malliotakis sarcastically suggested that Americans would be better off if President Biden took even more time off to avoid making decisions that are detrimental to the country – such as repealing former President Trump’s border policies, lifting sanctions on Iran that benefited the nation financially, and implementing anti-energy policies that led to increased costs for gas, food, and utility bills.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates responded to these criticisms by stating that it is not surprising that those who attack President Biden for enjoying everyday activities such as petting hero dogs or eating ice cream are unable to accurately count the number of vacation days he has taken. However, Bates maintains that President Biden works hard every day, regardless of his location.
