President Joe Biden is delivering his farewell address to the nation as he prepares to leave office.
Watch live coverage on Scripps News
The president's Oval Office speech comes on the heels of a major diplomatic achievement for his administration: a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The deal is something the Biden administration had been working toward for months. President Biden announced in May 2024 a framework to stop the fighting, return hostages, provide humanitarian aid and ultimately rebuild Gaza.
The war in Gaza broke out well into President Biden's four-year term. During that time, he has faced numerous challenges — including responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and managing skyrocketing inflation.
In a letter to Americans ahead of his speech, Biden said, "We came together as Americans, and we braved through it. We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure."
The U.S. added 16.6 million jobs during President Biden's tenure, marking a record for a single term of a U.S. president. While the U.S. has posted impressive job numbers in recent years, President Biden entered office a year after the U.S. lost 9.5 million workers during the pandemic.
Still, President Biden exits office with a majority of Americans not supporting his work. As of December, his approval rating was 39%, according to Gallup. His approval rating at the end of his first term is tied for the lowest since President Jimmy Carter had a 34% approval rating one month before leaving office.
President Biden planned to seek reelection but dropped out of the race following a widely criticized debate performance. He ultimately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in the November presidential election.
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