As Biden concludes his 50-year political career, the weight of his inability to move past Trump's presidency hangs heavily on him.

On Monday, President Biden's 50-year political career will end as President-elect Trump is inaugurated and assumes the presidency.

Despite his four years in the White House, Biden departs as one of the least popular presidents in U.S. history.

Despite his victory over Trump in the 2020 election, Biden's legacy is being tarnished by his inability to prevent Trump from returning to the presidency.

In an open letter to the American people on Wednesday, Biden seemed to admit that he couldn't fulfill the key promise he made during his 2020 campaign.

Biden wrote that he ran for president because he believed the soul of America was at stake, and the very essence of our identity was in danger.

But he lamented "that’s still the case."

According to Wayne Lesperance, the president of New England College, while voters wanted a return to normalcy in 2020, President Biden was unable to deliver on his promise despite running on this platform.

In his farewell address, Biden aimed to solidify his legacy as a president who stabilized domestic politics and strengthened America's global leadership, steered the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic, made significant investments in infrastructure and clean energy, boosted the economy, and reduced prescription drug prices for millions of Americans.

He used his speech to caution the nation that an oligarchy is emerging in America, characterized by immense wealth, power, and influence, which poses a grave threat to our democracy. This includes our fundamental rights, freedoms, and opportunities for everyone to succeed.

Biden's approval ratings remain below average as he concludes his first term in the White House.

In the latest Planet Chronicle national poll, conducted from January 10th to 13th, he received 42% approval and 57% disapproval.

According to the latest CNN poll, only 36% of Americans approve of Biden's job performance in the White House, which is the same as his previous low mark in the network's polling.

In national polls by USA Today/Suffolk University and Marist College, Biden's approval rating was 43%, which was slightly higher but still in negative territory. These polls were conducted in early and mid-January.

During his first six months in office, Biden's approval rating remained low to mid-50s. However, his numbers began to decline in August 2021 due to criticism of his handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan and a surge in COVID-19 cases that summer, primarily among unvaccinated individuals.

The decline in the president's approval rating was caused by rising inflation, which began in the summer of 2021 and remains a significant financial concern for Americans, as well as the influx of migrants attempting to enter the U.S. through the southern border.

In the autumn of 2021, Biden's approval ratings sank below zero and remained negative.

Recent surveys suggest that a significant portion of Americans consider Biden's presidency to be unsuccessful.

A CNN survey found that 61% of adults nationwide see Biden's presidency as a failure, while 38% view it as a success.

A USA Today/Suffolk University survey found that 44% of registered voters believe history will view Biden as a failed president, while 27% believe he will be judged as a fair president. Twenty-one percent of respondents said history will consider Biden a good president, and only 5% believe he will be seen as a great president.

Nearly 40% of adults surveyed in the Marist poll believe that Biden will be remembered as one of the best presidents in American history, with 19% saying he will be considered an average president.

A majority of participants (71%) believe that Biden's legacy will be below average, with only 19% considering him to be above average or among the greatest presidents in U.S. history.

In his final interview, Biden admitted to MSNBC that he regretted spending too much time on policy and not enough on politics.

Also weighing on Biden's legacy - his ill-fated re-election run.

In April 2023, Biden declared his intention to run for president again. However, fourteen months later, his polling numbers against Trump began to decline. This was exacerbated by a disastrous debate performance in which concerns about his physical and cognitive abilities to handle another term resurfaced.

Biden ended his campaign and endorsed Vice President Harris as the 2024 standard-bearer after receiving criticism from fellow Democrats.

Despite Trump's defeat in November, Biden remains responsible for the Democrats' electoral losses.

According to longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, "the Joe Biden story is one of the great tragedies of American politics. He should be enjoying a glorious, well-deserved, and highly acclaimed retirement, but he isn't."

Carville, a political strategist who played a key role in Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, contended that "it's difficult to assign blame to anyone else."

Biden's allies believe that the negative opinions of the former president will change in the future.

"John MacNeil, a longtime Democratic consultant and Biden supporter, told Planet Chronicle that Biden's accomplishments will become visible over the next few years due to some legislation he was able to pass."

MacNeil, a founding director of Unite the Country, acknowledged that Biden may be viewed as a "hiccup" between Trump's first and second terms, something that historians will discuss.