President Joe Biden, has taken more time off than any other U.S. president in modern history, spending 577 out of his 1,463 days in office—equivalent to 39% of his presidency—on vacation, according to data compiled by the Republican National Committee (RNC).

To put this in perspective, the average American worker, who receives 11 paid vacation days per year, would need 52 years to accumulate as much time off as Biden did in his four-year term.

Online Mockery and Criticism Over Time Off

Biden’s frequent vacations have not gone unnoticed by the public, with images of him relaxing in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in July 2023 becoming widely shared online and inspiring memes and GIFs.

Criticism also came from Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), who remarked, “Considering how awful his misguided policies were and the various crises they created, from the border to inflation, imagine the damage he would have done if he worked every day? I’m not sure if we should be mad or thankful he worked so little.”

Vacation Time After Biden Dropped Re-Election Bid

A significant portion of Biden’s vacation time—43 of the 70 days, or 61%—came after July 21, when members of his own party urged him to withdraw from the 2024 re-election race.

His time off also eclipsed that of previous presidents, surpassing the record of George H.W. Bush, who spent 37% of his presidency—543 out of 1,461 days—away from the White House.

Biden’s vacation time significantly exceeded that of former President Donald Trump, who spent 26% of his first term—381 out of 1,461 days—away from Washington, D.C.

Other past presidents took far fewer breaks. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama each spent only 11% of their two-term presidencies on vacation, while Jimmy Carter was away for just 79 days, accounting for only 5% of his single term.

George W. Bush, over two terms, spent 1,020 days—or 35%—of his 2,922 days in office outside Washington, often at his Texas ranch.

Vacation Destinations Biden Chose

Even before being pushed off the Democratic ticket in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden had spent considerable time at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

In September 2023, reports indicated that he was on track to spend nearly 40% of his presidency on vacation. Following this, he continued to take extended breaks, spending much of the next two months in various locations, including:

  • Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
  • California’s wine region in Santa Ynez Valley
  • The presidential retreat at Camp David
  • His other home in Wilmington, Delaware

During this period, Biden took a 23-day vacation from August 8 to September 2, one of the longest consecutive breaks of his presidency.

Later in the year, he vacationed in Nantucket in late November and in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, in late December. However, he did spend most of his final two months in office working.

Historic Presidential Pardons and RNC Reaction

During his last months in office, Biden issued a record number of presidential pardons and commutations, including pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted on federal felony gun and tax charges.

The RNC was quick to criticize Biden’s time off and political fate. “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.”

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