Meskipun masa pemerintahannya juga dinodai oleh penarikan secara merendahkan tentara AS setelah jatuhnya Saigon, masa jabatan Ford telah dipuji banyak pihak sebagai titik perubahan penting dalam sejarah Amerika.
While his presidency was also marred by the humiliating retreat of US troops after the fall of Saigon, Ford's tenure has been widely praised as a pivotal turning point in American history.