One year of Joe Biden: US President spent more time on personal travel than predecessors

Joe Biden completes one year of his presidency on January 20. In that time he’s made a record of spending more time on personal travel than any other US president, in their first year. The 46th President has often made attempts to distance himself from the occurrences at the White House, which Biden has labelled as a ‘gilded cage’. 

As per data from CNN, Biden spent a total of 160 days away from the Pennsylvania Avenue address. 

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Since being elected into office, a year back, Biden has taken 126 days for personal travel and gone on 42 trips during this time. Since he has shown a great fondness for his home state of Delaware, it is unsurprising that he spent 73 days across 25 trips at Wilmington, his Delaware home. Further, Biden spent 16 days over five trips at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, and the remaining 37 at Camp David, where he visited on 12 different trips. 

Notably, such trips often end up costing the taxpayer a tidy sum. As per estimates, the cost to the Secret Service, as a result of Biden’s frequent travels already hit around $3 million by November 2021. These expenses include setting up secure communications, so the President can work remotely without security breaches. 

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Other costs include paying the Secret Service agents their fees and any other requirements, including rental cars, travel expenses, and hotel accommodations. Local law enforcement, fire and emergency services are also at the ready, resulting in additional expenses. 

However, a White House spokesperson has justified Biden’s travels, saying, “Presidents of the United States are constantly on the job, regardless of their location; whether they’re on a state visit overseas or just 100 miles from the White House for a short trip to Wilmington. Wherever he is, the President spends every day working to defeat the pandemic, to ensure our economy delivers for the middle class — not just those at the top — and to protect our national security. Also, as all Americans can agree, it’s important for leaders to avoid becoming ensconced in Washington, DC.” 

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To that end, Biden visited 26 states in his first year as President, while taking six international trips to five countries. He’s been to the UK twice, once to Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, and the Vatican City. In 2022, Biden is expected to visit Germany, Spain, Indonesia, and Egypt.