A recent New York Times piece by columnist Bret Stephens critically examines President Biden's time in office, pointing out what Stephens considers four key deceptions and four significant illusions that could negatively impact how Biden's presidency is remembered. Stephens specifically targets several of Biden's past statements, including his characterization of the 2021 migrant surge as "seasonal," his assessment of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan as "highly unlikely," his description of inflation as transitory, and his belief that he was the Democrats' strongest contender against Donald Trump.

With President-elect Trump's upcoming inauguration on January 20th, Biden's departure from the White House marks the end of his term. Despite his exit, Biden maintains, according to a USA Today interview, that he could have defeated Trump had he chosen to run. Stephens, however, views this confidence as "pure hubris" and criticizes the "arrogance" behind Biden's earlier pronouncements, emphasizing that the president had been warned about the potential flaws in his judgment.

Stephens underscores the administration's downplaying of the border situation in 2021, their dismissal of warnings regarding the Afghan government's stability, and their disregard for concerns about the inflationary impact of Biden's stimulus package. He also points to Biden's campaign trail promises of being a transitional president and a bipartisan, moderate leader as further examples of deceptive rhetoric.

While Stephens has a history of conservative viewpoints, he was notably anti-Trump and endorsed Biden in 2020. Now, he adds Biden's claims about his physical and mental fitness for a second term and his pledge not to pardon his son Hunter to the list of presidential deceptions. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on Stephens' critique.

Stephens emphasizes the negative impact of the Afghanistan withdrawal on Biden's approval ratings and argues that this and other early missteps ultimately hampered his presidency. He also criticizes Biden's late decision to withdraw from the 2024 race, suggesting it was not a timely display of statesmanship. Despite the media and Democrats praising Biden's endorsement of Vice President Harris, Stephens maintains that Biden's legacy will be judged harshly by history.

Finally, Stephens condemns Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter, contrasting a father's love with a president's dishonesty. He suggests that this act, one of Biden's final significant political decisions, reveals a leader who has lost sight of his role and predicts that history will not be favorable in its judgment. Stephens further calls for a congressional investigation into the alleged cover-up of Biden's health by his inner circle.