President Joe Biden expressed regret on Wednesday for not branding pandemic relief checks with his name in 2021, acknowledging that former President Donald Trump’s decision to do so in 2020 likely earned him credit for aiding Americans during the crisis. Speaking at the Brookings Institution, Biden reflected on his economic legacy as his term concludes, while challenging President-elect Trump to maintain Democratic policy gains.
“I signed the American Rescue Plan, the most significant economic recovery package in our history, and also learned something from Donald Trump,” Biden said. “He signed checks for people for $7,400 … and I didn’t. Stupid.”

Biden highlighted strong economic data, including job creation, infrastructure investments, and a declining inflation rate, but lamented public perception of the economy, which he said had been overshadowed by inflation spikes in 2022. He framed the current economic conditions—unemployment at 4.2% and record-high new business applications—as benchmarks for the next administration.
However, Biden warned Trump against adopting policies such as broad tariffs and tax cuts, which he argued could harm economic stability. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen echoed these concerns at a Wall Street Journal summit, cautioning that tariffs could increase costs for American consumers.
Biden also criticized Project 2025, a policy framework from the Heritage Foundation aimed at restructuring the federal government. Calling it “an economic disaster,” he urged Trump to reject the plan.
The president concluded by emphasizing the importance of building on current economic momentum. “President-elect Trump is receiving the strongest economy in modern history,” Biden said.