President Biden claims the US is in a better position than any country in the world – despite migrant crisis, crime and a struggling economy

• President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said America is better positioned to lead the world than any other country 
• The Bidens appeared via satellite from their beach holiday in St. Croix with host Ryan Seacrest on ABC’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve show 
• Despite voter concerns over immigration and the economy and terrible polling numbers for the 2024 election, Biden backed his record 

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said America is better positioned to lead the world than any other country and dished on his holiday meals in a New Years Eve interview.

The Bidens appeared via satellite from their beach holiday in St. Croix with host Ryan Seacrest on ABC’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve show from Times Square.

Seacrest asked the pair what their hopes were for 2024, with Biden not mentioning the potential rematch with Trump that appears the most likely scenario for the presidential election but did allude to how he felt he’d improved America. 

‘My hope is that everybody has a healthy, happy and safe new year but beyond that I hope they understand that we’re in a better position than any country in the world to lead the world. We’re coming back and it’s about time,’ President Biden, 81, said.

Seacrest also asked the Bidens what their memories and highlights of 2023 were, with the president again attempting to discuss his presidency. 

He told a story that began with an anecdote from his late father and a promotion of his policies to return Americans to work. 

‘One of the big highlights stands out for me… my dad used to have an expression. He’d say: Joey, a job’s about a lot more than a paycheck, it’s about your dignity, it’s about respect,’ President Biden said.

‘So many people through the midwest and in the center of the country, their jobs were shipped overseas the last couple times out, they were losing hope and faith.’

‘We’ve brought a lot of jobs back to the United States, people are in position to be able to make a living now. They’ve created a lot of jobs, 14 million.’

‘I guess I just feel good that the American people got up. They’ve been through a rough time with pandemic but they’re coming back. We’re back,’ he added.

The First Family was also grilled on their holiday eating habits, with the president making a nod to his love of ice cream.

‘I’ve been eating everything that’s put in front of me,’ Biden said. ‘Pasta, which I love. Eating a lot of chicken, chicken parmesan.’

First Lady Jill, 72, reminded her husband that he’d been eating ice cream as well, with the president saying it was ‘chocolate chip’ flavored.

She also referenced her work as a teacher and hoped for a positive spirit in 2024.

‘I think it’s what I would always tell my students: be positive, be optimistic, be kind to one another. Happy new year.’

Despite the hopeful message, the president faces a tough 2024, not only dealing with issues both domestic and foreign but a potential rematch with Donald Trump as he attempts to win re-election as the nation’s oldest-ever president.

Biden has been trying to manage a string of crises. From Ukraine to the Middle East to the border with Mexico, he has been juggling the demands of international allies, as well as Congressional friends and enemies, from the White House.

He continues to be plagued by voters’ doubts about the strength of the economy, as well as concerns about the security of the U.S.-Mexico border and worries about crime.

Continued investigations into the business dealings of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, and the impeachment inquiry announced this week will also cause headaches into next year.

Immigration will also continue to pose a significant problem, with cities including New York and Chicago struggling to cope with the influx.

Biden’s absence in Washington D.C. this week is emblematic of a perceived absence overall by Republicans that the administration is doing anything at all to solve the critical issue. 

Authorities say at least 10,000 migrants a day have been arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, many of them asylum seekers. A migrant caravan of thousands of people from across the region – largely Venezuelans – has trekked through southern Mexico this week and is getting closer to the U.S.

The border has been a headache for Biden for months and his approval ratings continue to plummet with only 38 percent of voters saying they approve of his handling of immigration, compared with 46 percent in November.

Republicans are also looking to gain some political leverage for upcoming negotiations in January over an additional spending package that will look at Ukraine, Israel, and the situation on the border.

Voters are still worried about the economy after watching everything from rent to grocery prices balloon during a year of enormous inflation that is still above average. 

Inflation was still running at 3.1 per cent last month, down from a high of 9.1 per cent in June 2022 but refusing to dip to the Federal Reserve’s 2 per cent target.

American workers find it hard to be enthusiastic about the easing inflation as most of their wages are yet to catch up to the damage inflicted on their budgets.

President Biden hasn’t had much luck since he entered office with the post-Covid economy overheating along with supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine.

His approval rating on the economy is just 32.7 per cent on average, against 57.9 per cent disapproval, according to latest polling.

About 71 per cent of Americans think the country’s economy is headed in the wrong direction and just five per cent of Republicans and 58 per cent of Democrats rated it excellent or good.

Former president Donald Trump holds a handy advantage of 59 to 37 per cent on the issue, according to a New York Times poll of five crucial swing states.

Income adjusted for inflation fell a little more than one per cent since he took over, and at the same point in Trump’s presidency they were three per cent higher.

Poll after poll has shown that his positive message, that he is the best person to manage the economic recovery from the pandemic, is falling on deaf ears.

Aides privately say he will be stepping up his campaign events in the new year.

It can’t come soon enough for his supporters. He has seen his lead over Trump evaporate in the past six months.

In a head-to-head matchup, our DailyMail.com poll had Biden one-point ahead in June; one point behind in September and October, and now three points behind.

Even if Trump fails to take the Republican nomination, Biden looks poised to struggle in November.

With 16 days to go until Republicans in Iowa become the first in the nation to pick the candidate they want for the 2024 election, an exclusive DailyMail.com poll suggests Nikki Haley is the runner best placed to beat President Joe Biden.

Our survey of 984 likely voters shows she would beat Biden by five points if the election were held tomorrow.

In contrast, former President Donald Trump would win by three points while Ron DeSantis would lose by two points, cementing the sense that his campaign for president is on life support.

Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, has seen her stock rise in recent weeks, fuelled by a string of strong debate performances and key endorsements.

And the results of our poll with J.L. Partners underlines her argument that she is better placed than other candidates to win the 2024 election. 

It gives her 40 percent support to Biden’s 35 percent in a head-to-head contest.

Trump would take 46 percent against Biden’s 43 percent, while DeSantis takes 41 percent against Biden’s 43 percent, all with a margin of error of 3.1 percent.