Trump and GOP Reframe 2020 Election History as Biden Presidency Takes Center Stage in Political Narrative

WASHINGTON — Five years after the tumultuous 2020 election, a new political narrative has taken hold in Republican circles: that Joe Biden, not Donald Trump, was effectively the president during that year. The claim, repeated by Trump and echoed by GOP allies, is not a literal rewriting of history — Trump was in office until January 20, 2021 — but rather a rhetorical strategy designed to shift blame for the pandemic, economic turmoil, and social unrest that defined the final year of his first term.

The reframing has become a central talking point in Trump’s second presidency, now nine months old. At rallies, in interviews, and across conservative media, Trump has argued that Biden’s influence was already shaping events in 2020, portraying himself as a victim of forces beyond his control. The tactic has been embraced by Republican lawmakers who see political advantage in pinning the chaos of that year on Democrats, even as official records and the historical timeline remain clear.

A Political Strategy Rooted in Perception

The effort to recast 2020 as Biden’s responsibility reflects a broader trend in American politics: the battle over memory and perception. Trump has long sought to redefine narratives around his presidency, from the size of his inauguration crowd in 2017 to the causes of the January 6 Capitol attack. By suggesting that Biden was effectively “president” in 2020, Trump is attempting to distance himself from the crises that damaged his approval ratings and contributed to his election loss.

Republican strategists argue that the approach resonates with voters who recall 2020 as a year of upheaval. The COVID‑19 pandemic, nationwide protests over racial justice, and a sharp economic downturn created a sense of instability that many Americans still associate with Democratic governance, even though Trump was in office. By blurring the lines of responsibility, the GOP hopes to consolidate support among voters who are weary of reliving that year’s traumas.

Democrats, for their part, have dismissed the narrative as revisionist history. “It’s gaslighting on a national scale,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader. “Donald Trump was president in 2020. He made the decisions, he set the policies, and he bears responsibility for the outcomes. No amount of spin can change that.”

The Role of Conservative Media

The success of the strategy owes much to the amplification it receives from conservative media outlets. Talk radio hosts, cable news commentators, and online influencers have repeated the claim that Biden was “pulling the strings” in 2020, often citing his role as the presumptive Democratic nominee and the influence of what they describe as the “deep state.”

Segments on Fox News and Newsmax have framed Biden as the de facto leader of a Democratic establishment that, in their telling, undermined Trump’s presidency even before the election. Social media platforms have further spread the narrative, with memes and viral posts depicting Biden as the architect of 2020’s crises.

Political analysts note that the tactic is less about convincing Americans of a literal falsehood than about shaping emotional associations. “It’s not that people actually believe Biden was sitting in the Oval Office in 2020,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. “It’s that they come to associate the chaos of that year with Democratic leadership, which is politically useful for Trump and the GOP.”

Democrats Push Back

Democrats have responded by highlighting Trump’s record in 2020, pointing to his handling of the pandemic, his response to protests, and his refusal to accept the election results. Biden himself has occasionally addressed the issue, though cautiously, wary of amplifying Trump’s claims. In a recent interview, Biden said, “The American people know who was president in 2020. They lived through it. They saw the decisions that were made.”

Still, the persistence of the narrative underscores the challenge Democrats face in countering misinformation. Fact‑checking organizations have repeatedly debunked the claim, but repetition has given it traction among segments of the electorate. Polling conducted last month by the Pew Research Center found that 28 percent of Republican voters agreed with the statement that Biden was “effectively president” in 2020, a figure that rises to 41 percent among those who identify as strong Trump supporters.

The Stakes for 2026 and Beyond

The reframing of 2020 is not just about the past; it is also about shaping the political terrain for the future. With midterm elections looming in 2026, Republicans are eager to deflect attention from Trump’s record and focus instead on Democratic shortcomings. By casting Biden as responsible for 2020’s crises, they hope to weaken Democratic candidates who are still closely tied to the former president.

The strategy also serves Trump’s broader goal of delegitimizing criticism of his leadership. By insisting that Biden was to blame for 2020, Trump positions himself as a victim of forces beyond his control, reinforcing his narrative of grievance and persecution. That message has proven effective in mobilizing his base, even as it alienates many independents and moderates.

Historians warn that the tactic could have lasting consequences for public understanding of recent events. “We are witnessing an attempt to rewrite history in real time,” said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history at Princeton University. “If enough people come to believe that Biden was somehow responsible for 2020, it will distort our collective memory and make it harder to hold leaders accountable.”

A Battle Over Memory

The struggle over who “owned” 2020 reflects a deeper battle over how Americans remember their recent past. In an era of polarized media and fragmented information, narratives can be reshaped and repurposed to serve political ends. For Trump and the GOP, the goal is not to persuade Americans of a literal falsehood but to create a haze of uncertainty that benefits their agenda.

For Democrats, the challenge is to cut through that haze with a clear and consistent message. Whether they can succeed may determine not only the outcome of the next election cycle but also how history remembers one of the most tumultuous years in modern American life.

As the debate continues, one fact remains indisputable: Donald Trump was president in 2020. He occupied the Oval Office, signed executive orders, and commanded the federal government. But in the realm of political rhetoric, facts often take a back seat to perception. And in 2025, perception is the battlefield on which the future of American politics is being fought.

Reporting by Nick Ravenshade. Original analysis by NENC Media Group.
Sources: CNN, Politico, ABC News, Associated Press, The American Presidency Project, The Economist.