Joe Biden’s presidency appears set to leave behind a legacy of significant challenges for Donald Trump when he assumes office on January 20. The issues range from economic instability, including a skyrocketing $36 trillion federal debt—up by $13 trillion since 2020—to broader domestic and international crises. These include persistent inflation despite falling energy prices, dangerously depleted Strategic Petroleum Reserves, and a dwindling weapons stockpile. Other concerns include an educational system that struggles to teach basic skills, a housing crisis, a manufacturing slowdown, and a Justice Department facing waning public confidence.
Compounding these problems is the responsibility of managing U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s war with Russia and restoring stability in the Middle East. The multitude of challenges underscores the urgency for Trump to prepare to “hit the ground running.”
“If Joe Biden were a decent fellow and a patriot,” the article states, “he would be using his remaining weeks as president to fix some of the disasters he has created. Instead, he is doing just the opposite.”
Rather than seeking to rectify the issues created under his administration, Biden appears focused on spending what remains of the $375 billion authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The administration’s approach seems designed to ensure that these funds, controlled by former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, remain out of reach for Trump’s incoming team.
Despite the billions allocated for green initiatives and infrastructure projects, including $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations and $42 billion to improve rural internet access, many programs have failed to deliver results. For instance, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s promise of 500,000 charging stations resulted in only eight being constructed. Similarly, Vice President Kamala Harris’s internet expansion efforts yielded little progress, symbolizing the administration’s inefficiency.
A hidden-camera video from Project Veritas captured Environmental Protection Agency adviser Brent Efron acknowledging the administration’s race to spend IRA funds. “Now we’re just trying to get the money out as fast as possible before they come in and stop it all,” Efron said, likening the situation to being on the Titanic and “throwing gold bars off the edge.” He also admitted that safeguards to prevent fraud and abuse had been overlooked in the rush, with funds being directed to tribes, nonprofits, and states to circumvent potential clawbacks by a Trump administration.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on the video, suggesting it shows “The U.S. government is actively working to undermine the American people.”
In another move perceived as undermining Trump’s agenda, Biden agreed to protect some 42,000 Social Security Administration employees from returning to in-person work, a decision that complicates efforts to reform the federal workforce.
Additionally, Biden has not prioritized refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which was depleted in 2022 to combat soaring gasoline prices. At the start of Biden’s presidency, the SPR held 638 million barrels of crude oil; today, it holds just 392 million barrels, marking the lowest reserve level in 40 years. Although there has been a 12 percent increase in reserves over the past year, the stockpile remains insufficient to cushion against significant price shocks.
On the fiscal front, Biden leaves behind a Treasury portfolio that relies heavily on short-term debt, a shift attributed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Instead of issuing long-term bonds to finance the $1.8 trillion federal budget deficit, Yellen opted for two-year Treasury bills to avoid triggering a surge in mortgage rates. However, this strategy has left the country vulnerable to higher interest costs.
Robbert van Batenburg of the Bear Traps Report estimates that 30 percent of the debt is now in short-term notes, compared to just 15 percent in 2023. “The Treasury now faces a substantial volume of short-term debt maturing annually, which must be refinanced at significantly higher interest rates,” van Batenburg said, emphasizing the strain this will place on future budgets.
Beyond the economic challenges, Detroit automakers are grappling with billions in losses and layoffs, spurred by Biden’s aggressive electric vehicle mandates. Meanwhile, millions of undocumented migrants are straining budgets in cities led by Democrats, violent crime rates have risen due to weakened law enforcement policies, and military leaders warn of dwindling weapon supplies.
The incoming Trump administration will inherit these compounded challenges, described as “land mines on many fronts.”
Rather than attempting to mitigate the damage, the Biden administration appears focused on accelerating its policy agenda. “Now we’re just trying to get the money out as fast as possible before they come in and stop it all,” Efron reiterated in the undercover video.
The extent of the challenges underscores the uphill battle that awaits Trump’s team, as they prepare to address the economic, social, and geopolitical issues left in Biden’s wake.
