WASHINGTON, DC – If you’ve been following political debates over the last few years, you’ve probably heard the claim: Joe Biden spent a whopping 40% of his presidency on vacation! This eye-catching statistic has been plastered across social media and amplified by major news outlets. But is it true?
The claim, often repeated by Biden’s critics, traces back to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which in early 2023 declared that the president had spent 40% of his time in office vacationing. Their updated tally at the start of 2024 pegged the number at 38.9%, featuring videos of Biden lounging on the beach to drive the point home.
On August 31, 2024, RNC Research posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“Biden spent today — his 16th straight day on vacation — lounging on the beach. He has spent a total of 532 days (40.3% of his presidency) on vacation. Who’s running the country?”
The claim quickly went viral. But was Biden really off the clock for almost half his time in office?
Breaking Down the Numbers
Biden spent today — his 16th straight day on vacation — lounging on the beach.
He has spent a total of 532 days (40.3% of his presidency) on vacation.
Who’s running the country? pic.twitter.com/YIStPQR3Vl
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 31, 2024
According to a deep dive by Snopes, the reality looks quite different. The RNC’s math counted every single day Biden spent at his Delaware homes, Camp David, or destinations like Nantucket as a “vacation day.” However, fact-checkers found that this sweeping calculation wildly exaggerated the truth.
By reviewing Biden’s official calendar, pool reports, and White House records, Snopes determined that he spent approximately 117 to 118 full days in a vacation setting during his 1,461-day presidency. That’s just 8% of his tenure. Another 66 days were spent partially in a vacation location, meaning he worked part of the day before heading out. That brings the total to about 12.5% to 12.6%—far from the 40% figure making the rounds.
And here’s the kicker: of those days, Biden was publicly documented working on 107 of them—taking calls, signing executive orders, or handling government business. That leaves only 76 to 77 days where there’s no public record of work—just 5% of his presidency.
The Flawed Math Behind the 40% Claim
So, where did the RNC go wrong? Their methodology was questionable at best. They:
- Counted partial days as full vacation days (even if Biden left late at night or returned early in the morning).
- Included work trips as vacation days (even if Biden held official meetings).
- Considered Camp David stays as vacation, despite its long history as a presidential workspace.
For instance, they listed April 22, 2022, as a vacation day, but Biden was in Delaware only after arriving at 12:24 a.m. the next morning. Likewise, on September 13, 2022, they marked it as a vacation even though Biden hosted an event, traveled to Delaware to vote, and returned to the White House—all in the same day!
Do Presidents Ever Really ‘Go on Vacation’?
The idea that presidents truly “clock out” is misleading. Whether they’re at the White House, Camp David, or a beach house, they still handle classified briefings, respond to crises, and make key decisions. The notion that Biden spent nearly half his presidency completely checked out simply doesn’t hold up when you look at the facts.
In reality, Biden’s time away from the White House—with work included—accounts for just 12.5% to 12.6% of his presidency, and fully unplugged days barely reach 5%. So while the image of Biden endlessly lounging on the beach makes for a catchy political talking point, the numbers tell a very different story.
