At 81, President Joe Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, has taken so many vacations that the New York Post calculated it would take an average worker 48 years to match the time off. According to the Republican National Committee, Biden has spent 532 days, or 40.3% of his presidency through August, on vacation.
The Post’s analysis noted that Biden seems to spend almost as much time on vacation as he does governing. An average American with 11 annual vacation days would take nearly five decades to accumulate that much time off.
Former White House official Mark Paoletta criticized Biden, saying his image of “lying flat on his back at the beach while the country faces crises” will define his presidency. Paoletta pointed to inflation, a border crisis, and global instability, arguing Biden is more focused on leisure than leadership.
Speculation also arose that Biden took additional time off this summer after stepping back from the 2024 race due to frustration with fellow Democrats who pushed him out of reelection plans.
The New York Post compared Biden’s vacation time to his predecessors, reporting Donald Trump spent 26% of his presidency on personal trips, and Barack Obama, much younger than both, spent just 11%.
The White House, however, disputed the claims, stating Biden works hard no matter where he is, taking fewer vacation days than the average modern president.
