Former President Joe Biden reportedly spent more time on vacation than any other president in US history, according to data compiled by the Republican National Committee. With more than 577 vacation days during his single term in office, the octogenarian executive spent roughly 39% of his presidency out of office.
As Biden’s Republican critics noted during his term, the former president would often spend weeks at a time at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, leaving many to wonder who was overseeing national affairs in his absence.
Biden spent today — his 16th straight day on vacation — lounging on the beach.
He has spent a total of 532 days (40.3% of his presidency) on vacation.
Who's running the country? pic.twitter.com/YIStPQR3Vl
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 31, 2024
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Biden’s record number of days off surpassed the previous record held by George H.W. Bush, who spent 543 of his 1,461 days— 37% of his presidency—away from the White House.
During his first term, Donald Trump spent 26% of his time (381 days) outside of DC. Barack Obama was out of office for 11% of his eight years in office, matching the time taken by Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter notably took just 79 vacation days, amounting to less than 5% of his term. George W. Bush spent 1,020 – or 35% — of his 2,922-day presidency traveling to destinations like his Texas ranch house.
Biden’s day-off tally amounts to approximately one day off for every 2.5 days on.
According to analysis by the New York Post, the average American gets 11 paid vacation days a year, meaning they would have to work full-time for 52 years without ever taking a vacation day to accrue the same amount of time Biden took off in just four years.
Biden’s defenders have criticized the RNC’s data for counting partial days and working locations as full vacation days, with Democratic sources countering that Biden was often carrying out presidential business during his absences.
“Presidents of the United States are constantly on the job, regardless of their location – whether they’re on a state visit overseas or just 100 miles from the White House for a short trip to Wilmington, DE,” former White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said early in Biden’s term, when the media first noticed his frequent stints outside the capital. “And as all Americans can agree, it’s important for leaders to avoid becoming ensconced in Washington, DC.”
Notably, the RNC report indicates that the bulk of Biden’s vacationing took place after he was pushed off the Democratic presidential ticket in July 2024. Beginning August 8, Biden took a staggering 23 days off, spending 43 of the next 70 days on vacation in California wine country, Camp David, and his home in Delaware.
“Thanks to the mandate delivered by voters in November, Joe Biden and [former Vice President] Kamala Harris are now on a permanent vacation,” said RNC Communications Director Zach Parkinson. “And thanks to President Trump, our country is back on track.”
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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