Joe Biden caused the highest inflation in history.

What we found

Contradicts. Snopes rates the claim that inflation under Biden was the highest in US history as False, noting rates in 1974, 1975, 1979, 1980 and 1981 exceeded the 2022 peak.[1]

Contradicts. PolitiFact states the 'worst inflation in American history' claim about Biden is incorrect; the 2022 peak of about 9% was the highest in about 40 years but not the worst in US history.[2]

Contradicts. FactCheck.org (Oct 2026) reports the worst inflation occurred after WWI, at 23.7% from June 1919 to June 1920, and that Trump's similar 'worst inflation' claim was false.[3]

Contradicts. CNN and DW fact-checks of Trump's 2026 State of the Union state Biden never had the worst inflation in US history; the all-time high was 23.7% in 1920.[4][5]

Contradicts. PolitiFact rated a similar Trump claim about Biden's 'worst inflation in 48 years, perhaps in the history of our country' as Mostly False, noting 1946 and 1970s rates exceeded the Biden-era peak.[6]

Context. Biden-era inflation did reach a 40-year high of about 9.1% in June 2022, which fact-checkers acknowledge; the disputed element is the claim of an all-time record.[1][7][8]

Sources

8 sources: 3 fact-checkers, 4 not rated, 1 tier 2

1. 1US Inflation Hit Highest Level in History Under Biden?snopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts, context
2. 2Fact-checking Trump on the scale and causes of inflationpolitifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
3. 3FactChecking Claims from Trump’s Midterm Ralliesfactcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts
4. 4Fact checking Trump's State of the Union address | CNN Politicsedition.cnn.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
5. 5Fact check: Trump's State of the Union address debunkeddw.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
6. 6PolitiFact | Fact-checking President Donald Trump’s address ...api.politifact.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
7. 7The White House won't even try to explain Trump's fictional inflation ...cnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
8. 8U.S. Inflation Rate by President: From Truman to Bideninvestopedia.com · not rated · cited for: context

Where this claim was made

Said in 1 published post

• Badlands Media · Oct 15, 2026“affordability. I said, "Yeah, that was caused by Biden, who gave us the highest inflation in history"”Post →

Related claims

• The Democratic Party caused the worst inflation in American history while in power.False
• The United States reached 40-year highs in inflation during the Biden administration.Can’t tell
• Donald Trump did not inherit the worst inflation crisis in history.True
• Inflation hit 9.1% under the Democratic administration.True
• The economy inherited from the last administration had 40-year high inflation.False