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Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10

Biden year one takeaways: Grand ambitions, humbling defeats

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order to improve government services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. Biden's long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office. He achieved it, albeit at 78 the oldest person to assume the presidency. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
FILE - President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order to improve government services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. Biden's long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office. He achieved it, albeit at 78 the oldest person to assume the presidency. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) FILE - President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order to improve government services, in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 13, 2021, in Washington. Biden's long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office. He achieved it, albeit at 78 the oldest person to assume the presidency. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Joe Biden’s long arc in public life has always had one final ambition: to sit behind the Resolute Desk of the Oval Office.

He achieved it – albeit, at 78, as the oldest person to assume the presidency. After the turbulence and chaos of his predecessor, Donald Trump, Biden was seen by voters as one who could restore a sense of normalcy and a reassuring tone to the White House.

But Biden also found out, as all his predecessors have, that events beyond his control would shape his time in office and the public’s assessment of him.

Takeaways from The Associated Press’ White House team on Biden’s first year as president:

BIG AMBITIONS