The President of the United States is both the head of state and head of the executive branch of the federal government, as well as Commander in Chief of the U.S. armed forces.

Since George Washington took office in 1789, the American presidency has been occupied by some of the most influential figures in modern political history.

There is an important numbering issue to understand. As of August 2026, Donald J. Trump is the 47th and current President of the United States, having begun his second, nonconsecutive presidency on January 20, 2025.

However, the United States has not had 47 different people as president. Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms and is counted as both the 22nd and 24th president. Donald Trump is similarly counted as both the 45th and 47th president. Thus, presidential numbering and the number of individual people who have held the office are different.

The historical sequence and terms below are consistent with presidential records maintained by the White House Historical Association and archived White House resources.

Important note about "scandals"

The word scandal should be used carefully. Some presidents were personally implicated in misconduct; in other cases, scandals involved cabinet members, political associates, campaigns, or administrations rather than proven wrongdoing by the president himself. Some historical allegations remain disputed.

Accordingly, this article distinguishes, where possible, between documented scandals, political controversies, allegations and policy disputes.

For the children counts below, the figure generally refers to known biological children, with adoption or stepchildren specifically mentioned where historically important.

1. George Washington — 1st President

Tenure: April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797
Political affiliation: No formal political party
Spouse: Martha Dandridge Custis Washington
Biological children: 0

George Washington was commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and became the first President of the United States. His conduct in office established many precedents, including the tradition of voluntarily leaving office after two terms.

Washington had no biological children. Martha had children from her previous marriage, and Washington helped raise members of her family.

Major controversy: Washington was a slaveholder, an aspect of his life that receives significant modern historical scrutiny. Slavery was deeply embedded in the early United States, and Washington's participation in it remains an important part of evaluating his legacy.

2. John Adams — 2nd President

Tenure: March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801
Party: Federalist
Spouse: Abigail Adams
Children: 6

John Adams was a leading advocate for American independence, diplomat, vice president under Washington and the country's second president.

His son John Quincy Adams later became the sixth President of the United States.

Major controversy: The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 became one of the most controversial actions of his administration. Critics argued that the laws were used to suppress political opposition and restrict freedom of expression.

3. Thomas Jefferson — 3rd President

Tenure: March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809
Party: Democratic-Republican
Spouse: Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson
Children with Martha: 6

Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and one of America's most influential Founding Fathers. His presidency included the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which dramatically expanded U.S. territory.

Major controversies: Jefferson's ownership of enslaved people stands in profound contrast to his writings about liberty and equality.

The relationship between Jefferson and enslaved woman Sally Hemings has also received extensive historical study. Modern historical scholarship broadly accepts that Jefferson fathered children with Hemings, although the subject was disputed for generations.

4. James Madison — 4th President

Tenure: March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817
Party: Democratic-Republican
Spouse: Dolley Madison
Biological children: 0

James Madison is often called the "Father of the Constitution" because of his major role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

His presidency was dominated by the War of 1812 against Britain.

Major controversy: Madison was also a slaveholder. His handling of events leading to the War of 1812 and the country's military preparedness attracted political criticism.

5. James Monroe — 5th President

Tenure: March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825
Party: Democratic-Republican
Spouse: Elizabeth Kortright Monroe
Children: 3

Monroe's presidency became associated with the Era of Good Feelings.

His most famous foreign-policy legacy is the Monroe Doctrine, warning European powers against further colonization or intervention in the Americas.

Major controversy: The Missouri Compromise highlighted the increasingly serious conflict over slavery and its expansion into new territories.

6. John Quincy Adams — 6th President

Tenure: March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829
Party: Democratic-Republican/National Republican
Spouse: Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams
Children: 4

Son of President John Adams, John Quincy Adams was an accomplished diplomat before becoming president.

Major controversy: His election became associated with accusations of a "Corrupt Bargain." Andrew Jackson's supporters claimed that Henry Clay helped Adams win the presidency in the House of Representatives and was subsequently rewarded with appointment as secretary of state.

No definitive proof established an explicit corrupt agreement.

7. Andrew Jackson — 7th President

Tenure: March 4, 1829 – March 4, 1837
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson
Biological children: 0
Family: Jackson adopted Andrew Jackson Jr. and also served as guardian to other children.

Jackson transformed presidential politics and presented himself as a representative of the common white voter against political elites.

Major controversies: His presidency is heavily criticized for the Indian Removal Act and policies that led to forced Native American removals, including the Trail of Tears.

His destruction of the Second Bank of the United States was another major political battle.

8. Martin Van Buren — 8th President

Tenure: March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Hannah Hoes Van Buren
Children: 4

Van Buren was a major organizer of the Democratic Party and an important architect of modern American party politics.

Major controversy/challenge: His administration was dominated by the Panic of 1837, a severe economic crisis. His response was strongly criticized by political opponents.

9. William Henry Harrison — 9th President

Tenure: March 4 – April 4, 1841
Party: Whig
Spouse: Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison
Children: 10

Harrison holds the distinction of having the shortest presidency in U.S. history, dying about a month after taking office.

Major scandal: None of comparable presidential significance developed because of his extremely short tenure.

10. John Tyler — 10th President

Tenure: April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845
Party: Whig, later unaffiliated
Spouses: Letitia Christian Tyler; Julia Gardiner Tyler
Children: 15

Tyler became president after Harrison's death and established the important precedent that the vice president fully becomes president when the sitting president dies.

Major controversies: Tyler repeatedly clashed with his own Whig Party and was effectively expelled from it. His support for the annexation of Texas was also highly controversial.

Later, Tyler supported the Confederacy, making his historical legacy particularly unusual among former U.S. presidents.

11. James K. Polk — 11th President

Tenure: March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Sarah Childress Polk
Children: 0

Polk pursued an aggressive program of territorial expansion. His presidency included the Mexican-American War, after which the United States acquired enormous western territories.

Major controversy: Critics, including Abraham Lincoln, challenged the justification for the Mexican-American War and accused the administration of provoking conflict to facilitate territorial expansion.

12. Zachary Taylor — 12th President

Tenure: March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850
Party: Whig
Spouse: Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor
Children: 6

Taylor was a celebrated military commander before entering politics.

He died while serving as president.

Major controversy: Debate over whether slavery should expand into territories acquired from Mexico dominated his short presidency.

13. Millard Fillmore — 13th President

Tenure: July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853
Party: Whig
Spouse: Abigail Powers Fillmore
Children: 2

Fillmore became president following Zachary Taylor's death.

Major controversy: He signed and enforced the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which required the return of people who had escaped slavery and became one of the most controversial federal laws of the pre-Civil War era.

14. Franklin Pierce — 14th President

Tenure: March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Jane Means Appleton Pierce
Children: 3

Pierce entered office during rapidly escalating sectional conflict.

Major controversy: His support for the Kansas-Nebraska Act helped reopen the slavery question in western territories and contributed to violent conflict known as Bleeding Kansas.

15. James Buchanan — 15th President

Tenure: March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Never married
Children: 0

Buchanan remains the only U.S. president who never married.

Major controversy: His inability to effectively respond to the secession crisis immediately preceding the Civil War dominates assessments of his presidency.

16. Abraham Lincoln — 16th President

Tenure: March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865
Party: Republican
Spouse: Mary Todd Lincoln
Children: 4

Lincoln led the United States through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He was assassinated shortly after the Union's victory became inevitable.

Major controversies: Lincoln's wartime expansion of executive power, including suspension of habeas corpus in certain circumstances, generated substantial constitutional controversy.

His historical reputation nevertheless places him among America's most consequential presidents.

17. Andrew Johnson — 17th President

Tenure: April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869
Party: Democratic/National Union
Spouse: Eliza McCardle Johnson
Children: 5

Johnson assumed office following Lincoln's assassination.

Major scandal: Johnson became the first U.S. president to be impeached. His conflict with Congress over Reconstruction culminated in impeachment in 1868. The Senate acquitted him by a very narrow margin.

18. Ulysses S. Grant — 18th President

Tenure: March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877
Party: Republican
Spouse: Julia Dent Grant
Children: 4

Grant had been the commanding general of the Union Army and one of the Civil War's most famous military figures.

His administration also fought to protect the rights of formerly enslaved Americans and suppress the Ku Klux Klan.

Major scandals: Several corruption scandals affected people within Grant's administration, including the Whiskey Ring and other financial and political scandals.

Grant himself was not proven to have personally profited from many of these schemes, but his loyalty to associates damaged his administration's reputation.

19. Rutherford B. Hayes — 19th President

Tenure: March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881
Party: Republican
Spouse: Lucy Webb Hayes
Children: 8

Hayes became president after the exceptionally disputed 1876 election.

Major controversy: The political settlement surrounding the election became associated with the Compromise of 1877, after which federal troops were withdrawn from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

20. James A. Garfield — 20th President

Tenure: March 4 – September 19, 1881
Party: Republican
Spouse: Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
Children: 7

Garfield served only a few months before being shot by Charles Guiteau. He later died from his wounds and medical complications.

Major scandal: No major presidential scandal developed during his extremely short administration.

21. Chester A. Arthur — 21st President

Tenure: September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885
Party: Republican
Spouse: Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur
Children: 3

Arthur unexpectedly became president following Garfield's death.

Although previously associated with New York's political patronage system, he supported civil-service reform as president.

Major controversy: His earlier association with machine politics and the patronage-based Stalwart faction initially raised concerns about corruption.

22. Grover Cleveland — 22nd President

First tenure: March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Frances Folsom Cleveland
Children with Frances: 5

Cleveland developed a reputation for fiscal conservatism and opposition to government favoritism.

Major controversy: During the 1884 election, allegations became public that Cleveland had fathered a child outside marriage. Cleveland acknowledged responsibility for supporting the child, although the precise paternity question has remained historically debated.

23. Benjamin Harrison — 23rd President

Tenure: March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893
Party: Republican
Spouses: Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison; later Mary Dimmick Harrison
Children: 3

Harrison was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison.

His presidency saw significant tariff legislation and the passage of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Major controversy: High federal spending and the McKinley Tariff became significant political issues.

24. Grover Cleveland — 24th President

Second tenure: March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897

Grover Cleveland returned to the presidency after losing the 1888 election, making him the first president to serve two nonconsecutive terms.

His second administration faced the severe Panic of 1893 and major labor unrest, including the Pullman Strike.

Because Cleveland is counted twice, presidential numbering became one number higher than the number of individuals who had served.

25. William McKinley — 25th President

Tenure: March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901
Party: Republican
Spouse: Ida Saxton McKinley
Children: 2

McKinley's presidency included the Spanish-American War and America's emergence as a major international power.

Major controversies: American expansion into territories including the Philippines led to intense debate over imperialism.

McKinley was assassinated in 1901.

26. Theodore Roosevelt — 26th President

Tenure: September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909
Party: Republican
Spouses: Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt; Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt
Children: 6

Theodore Roosevelt expanded the power and visibility of the presidency. He championed the Square Deal, conservation and regulation of large corporations.

Major controversies: His aggressive approach to executive power and foreign affairs, including policies associated with the Panama Canal and intervention in Latin America, generated significant criticism.

27. William Howard Taft — 27th President

Tenure: March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913
Party: Republican
Spouse: Helen Herron Taft
Children: 3

Taft is unique in American history for serving as both President of the United States and Chief Justice of the United States.

Major controversy: A bitter political split developed between Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, contributing to the division of Republican voters in the 1912 election.

28. Woodrow Wilson — 28th President

Tenure: March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921
Party: Democratic
Spouses: Ellen Louise Axson Wilson; Edith Bolling Galt Wilson
Children: 3

Wilson led the United States during much of World War I and promoted the creation of the League of Nations.

Major controversies: His administration's record on racial segregation has been heavily criticized. Restrictions on dissent during World War I, including enforcement under the Espionage and Sedition Acts, also remain controversial.

After Wilson suffered a severe stroke, the extent to which First Lady Edith Wilson controlled access to him and participated in presidential decision-making became another historical controversy.

29. Warren G. Harding — 29th President

Tenure: March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923
Party: Republican
Spouse: Florence Kling Harding
Biological children: No publicly acknowledged children during his lifetime; later DNA evidence supported paternity of a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Blaesing.

Harding promised a "return to normalcy" after World War I.

Major scandal: His administration became synonymous with the Teapot Dome scandal, involving corrupt leasing of federal oil reserves.

Harding himself was not established as the architect of Teapot Dome, but scandals involving members of his administration badly damaged his posthumous reputation.

30. Calvin Coolidge — 30th President

Tenure: August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929
Party: Republican
Spouse: Grace Goodhue Coolidge
Children: 2

Coolidge promoted limited government, lower taxes and a business-friendly economic philosophy.

Major controversy: His administration is often debated in relation to financial deregulation and economic policies preceding the Great Depression, although assigning responsibility for the later crash solely to Coolidge would oversimplify the issue.

31. Herbert Hoover — 31st President

Tenure: March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933
Party: Republican
Spouse: Lou Henry Hoover
Children: 2

Hoover was a successful engineer and humanitarian before becoming president.

His presidency became overwhelmed by the Great Depression following the 1929 stock-market crash.

Major controversy: Hoover was heavily criticized for the federal government's response to mass unemployment and economic collapse.

The government's handling of the Bonus Army protest in Washington further damaged his public standing.

32. Franklin D. Roosevelt — 32nd President

Tenure: March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Eleanor Roosevelt
Children: 6

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly called FDR, led America through most of the Great Depression and World War II.

He is the only U.S. president elected four times.

After his presidency, the Twenty-Second Amendment established the modern two-election limit for presidents.

Major controversies: Roosevelt's attempt to expand the Supreme Court became known as the court-packing plan.

His administration's forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II is now regarded as one of the most serious civil-liberties violations of the era.

33. Harry S. Truman — 33rd President

Tenure: April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Bess Wallace Truman
Children: 1

Truman became president following Roosevelt's death.

He made the decision to use atomic bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, oversaw the end of World War II and led the United States during the early Cold War and Korean War.

Major controversies: The use of atomic weapons remains one of the most intensely debated decisions in modern history.

Truman's dismissal of General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War also created enormous political controversy.

34. Dwight D. Eisenhower — 34th President

Tenure: January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961
Party: Republican
Spouse: Mamie Doud Eisenhower
Children: 2

Eisenhower had served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II.

As president, he oversaw a period of economic growth and supported development of the Interstate Highway System.

Major controversies: His administration participated in covert Cold War operations, including CIA-backed interventions overseas, which remain subjects of historical debate.

35. John F. Kennedy — 35th President

Tenure: January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Children: 4

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, commonly known as JFK, became one of America's most iconic presidents.

His administration confronted the Cuban Missile Crisis, supported the early space program and increasingly addressed civil rights.

Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963.

Major controversies: The failed Bay of Pigs invasion was a major embarrassment for his administration.

Kennedy's private life and alleged extramarital relationships have also become the subject of extensive historical reporting.

36. Lyndon B. Johnson — 36th President

Tenure: November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Claudia "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson
Children: 2

Johnson achieved major domestic reforms through his Great Society agenda and signed landmark civil-rights legislation.

Major controversy: His presidency became dominated by escalation of American involvement in the Vietnam War.

The credibility gap between government statements and conditions in Vietnam seriously damaged public trust.

37. Richard Nixon — 37th President

Tenure: January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974
Party: Republican
Spouse: Pat Ryan Nixon
Children: 2

Nixon achieved important foreign-policy breakthroughs, particularly opening relations with the People's Republic of China and pursuing détente with the Soviet Union.

His presidency, however, is permanently associated with Watergate.

Major scandal — Watergate: The scandal began with the 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters and expanded into investigations of obstruction, abuse of power and efforts to conceal wrongdoing.

Nixon became the first and, to date, only U.S. president to resign from office.

He resigned on August 9, 1974, as impeachment and likely removal became increasingly probable.

38. Gerald Ford — 38th President

Tenure: August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977
Party: Republican
Spouse: Betty Bloomer Ford
Children: 4

Ford became president after Nixon's resignation.

He is unique because he became both vice president and president without being elected to either office by the nationwide Electoral College process.

Major controversy: Ford granted Richard Nixon a full presidential pardon, a decision that generated enormous public criticism.

39. Jimmy Carter — 39th President

Tenure: January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Rosalynn Smith Carter
Children: 4

Carter emphasized human rights and helped broker the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel.

His presidency faced inflation, energy problems, Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and the Iran hostage crisis.

Major controversy/challenge: The Iran hostage crisis, economic difficulties and the failed hostage-rescue operation seriously weakened his administration.

Carter later developed an extraordinary post-presidential humanitarian career and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

40. Ronald Reagan — 40th President

Tenure: January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
Party: Republican
Spouses: Jane Wyman; Nancy Davis Reagan
Children: 4

A former actor and governor of California, Reagan became a defining figure of modern American conservatism.

His administration pursued tax cuts, military expansion and an aggressive posture toward the Soviet Union.

Major scandal — Iran-Contra: Members of the administration secretly facilitated arms sales to Iran, with funds connected to support for Contra rebels in Nicaragua despite congressional restrictions.

Investigations examined how much Reagan knew and controlled regarding the operation.

41. George H. W. Bush — 41st President

Tenure: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993
Party: Republican
Spouse: Barbara Pierce Bush
Children: 6

Bush had previously served as vice president, CIA director, diplomat and congressman.

His presidency included the end of the Cold War and the 1991 Gulf War.

His son George W. Bush later became the 43rd president.

Major controversy: Bush's decision to break his famous "Read my lips: no new taxes" campaign pledge damaged him politically.

42. Bill Clinton — 42nd President

Tenure: January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Children: 1 — Chelsea Clinton

Clinton presided over strong economic growth during much of the 1990s and became the first Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt to win reelection to a second full term.

Major scandal — Monica Lewinsky and impeachment

Clinton's relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and his statements concerning the relationship led to a major political and legal crisis.

The House of Representatives impeached Clinton in 1998 on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

The Senate subsequently acquitted him, and he completed his second term.

43. George W. Bush — 43rd President

Tenure: January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009
Party: Republican
Spouse: Laura Welch Bush
Children: 2

George W. Bush, son of George H. W. Bush, became president after the extraordinarily close and disputed 2000 election against Al Gore.

His presidency was transformed by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The United States subsequently launched military operations in Afghanistan and, in 2003, invaded Iraq.

Major controversies: The Iraq War, intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction, enhanced interrogation practices, Guantánamo Bay detention policies and government surveillance became major controversies.

The failure to discover the expected stockpiles of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction generated particularly intense criticism.

44. Barack Obama — 44th President

Tenure: January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017
Party: Democratic
Spouse: Michelle Robinson Obama
Children: 2 — Malia and Sasha

Obama became the first African American President of the United States.

His administration dealt with the aftermath of the global financial crisis and enacted the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.

During his presidency, U.S. forces killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

Major controversies: His administration faced political disputes over the Affordable Care Act, drone warfare, NSA surveillance, immigration policy, the Benghazi attack and the use of executive authority.

Many of these were policy controversies rather than personal scandals.

45. Donald J. Trump — 45th President

First tenure: January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021
Party: Republican
Spouses: Ivana Trump; Marla Maples; Melania Trump
Children: 5 — Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Barron

Trump entered politics after a career in real estate, business and television.

His first presidency included major tax legislation, immigration restrictions, trade disputes with China, conservative judicial appointments and the COVID-19 pandemic.

First impeachment

In 2019, the House impeached Trump over matters involving Ukraine, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The Senate acquitted him.

Second impeachment

Following the events surrounding the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the House impeached Trump for incitement of insurrection.

He was again acquitted by the Senate.

Trump became the first U.S. president to be impeached twice.

46. Joe Biden — 46th President

Tenure: January 20, 2021 – January 20, 2025
Party: Democratic
Spouses: Neilia Hunter Biden; Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden
Children: 4

Biden previously represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate for decades and served as vice president under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.

His administration dealt with the COVID-19 recovery, infrastructure investment, inflation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, competition with China and wars and instability in the Middle East.

Major controversies: The chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan drew extensive criticism.

His administration also faced disputes over immigration, inflation, foreign policy and questions about his age and fitness for another term.

His son Hunter Biden's business activities and legal problems became a major political issue, although allegations involving a family member should not automatically be treated as proof of wrongdoing by President Biden.

Biden initially sought reelection in 2024 but withdrew from the presidential race.

47. Donald J. Trump — 47th President

Second tenure: January 20, 2025 – present
Party: Republican
Spouse: Melania Trump
Children: 5

Donald Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025. The U.S. government identifies him as the 45th and 47th President of the United States.

His return made him only the second president in U.S. history to serve nonconsecutive presidential terms, after Grover Cleveland.

Because Trump's second presidency is ongoing as of August 2026, any assessment of its achievements, failures or controversies remains necessarily incomplete.

Presidents Associated with Major Presidential Scandals or Controversies

Some cases stand out particularly strongly in American political history.

Richard Nixon — Watergate: Nixon resigned in 1974 amid the Watergate investigation and remains the only U.S. president to resign. The Miller Center describes Watergate as America's most infamous presidential scandal.

Bill Clinton — Lewinsky scandal: His relationship with Monica Lewinsky and subsequent testimony contributed to his impeachment. He was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.

Warren G. Harding — Teapot Dome: Corruption involving members of Harding's administration became one of the most famous government scandals of the early twentieth century.

Ulysses S. Grant — administration scandals: Grant's presidency was affected by corruption involving officials and political associates, even though Grant himself was not proven to have personally orchestrated many of the schemes.

Ronald Reagan — Iran-Contra: Secret arms dealings with Iran and assistance to Contra rebels generated investigations into executive authority and administration conduct.

Donald Trump — two impeachments: Trump became the first American president impeached twice by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate in both trials.

Presidents Who Were Impeached

Only a small number of presidents have been formally impeached by the House:

1. Andrew Johnson — 1868
2. Bill Clinton — 1998
3. Donald Trump — 2019
4. Donald Trump — 2021

No U.S. president has been convicted and removed from office by the Senate following impeachment.

Richard Nixon was not formally impeached by the full House. The House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment, but Nixon resigned before the full House voted.

Presidents Who Were Assassinated

Four U.S. presidents were assassinated while in office:

• Abraham Lincoln — 1865
• James A. Garfield — 1881
• William McKinley — 1901
• John F. Kennedy — 1963

Presidents Who Died in Office from Natural Causes

In addition to the four assassinated presidents, four presidents died from illness or natural causes while serving:

• William Henry Harrison — 1841
• Zachary Taylor — 1850
• Warren G. Harding — 1923
• Franklin D. Roosevelt — 1945

William Henry Harrison served only about one month before his death, giving him the shortest presidency in American history.

Presidents Who Were Sons of Presidents

Two father-son families have produced U.S. presidents:

John Adams → John Quincy Adams

John Adams was the 2nd president and his son John Quincy Adams became the 6th.

George H. W. Bush → George W. Bush

George H. W. Bush was the 41st president and his son George W. Bush became the 43rd.

Presidents Who Served Nonconsecutive Terms

This has happened only twice:

Grover Cleveland:
22nd President — 1885–1889
24th President — 1893–1897

Donald Trump:
45th President — 2017–2021
47th President — 2025–present

This explains why presidential ordinal numbers exceed the number of different individuals who have occupied the office.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who was the first President of the United States?

George Washington was the first U.S. president. He served from 1789 to 1797.

2. Who is the current President of the United States?

As of August 2026, Donald J. Trump is the 47th President of the United States. He began his current term on January 20, 2025.

3. Why is Donald Trump called both the 45th and 47th president?

Trump served from 2017 to 2021 and returned to office in 2025 after another president, Joe Biden, served between his terms. Each nonconsecutive presidency receives a separate ordinal number.

4. Who was both the 22nd and 24th president?

Grover Cleveland. He served from 1885–1889 and again from 1893–1897.

5. Which presidents served nonconsecutive terms?

Only Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump have done so.

6. Who served the longest as U.S. president?

Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest, from 1933 until his death in 1945. He was elected four times.

7. Can a U.S. president now serve three elected terms?

Generally, no. The Twenty-Second Amendment limits a person to being elected president twice, with additional constitutional rules applying when someone succeeds to part of another president's term.

8. Who had the shortest presidency?

William Henry Harrison, who served from March 4 until April 4, 1841.

9. Which president resigned?

Richard Nixon is the only U.S. president who has resigned. He resigned on August 9, 1974 during the Watergate crisis.

10. Was Richard Nixon impeached?

Not by the full House of Representatives. The House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment, but Nixon resigned before the full House could vote.

11. How many presidents have been impeached?

Three individual presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. Trump was impeached twice, making four presidential impeachments in total.

12. Has any U.S. president been removed through impeachment?

No. No president has been convicted by the Senate and removed from office following House impeachment.

13. Which president was impeached twice?

Donald Trump, in 2019 and 2021.

14. Which president is most closely associated with Watergate?

Richard Nixon. Watergate ultimately led to his resignation.

15. Which president was involved in the Monica Lewinsky scandal?

Bill Clinton. The scandal contributed to his impeachment by the House, although the Senate acquitted him.

16. What was the Teapot Dome scandal?

Teapot Dome was a major corruption scandal involving secret and improper leasing of federal oil reserves during Warren G. Harding's administration.

17. What was the Iran-Contra affair?

During the Reagan administration, officials secretly facilitated arms sales to Iran while funds became connected to support for Contra rebels in Nicaragua despite congressional restrictions.

18. Which U.S. presidents were assassinated?

Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy.

19. How many presidents died while serving?

Eight presidents have died in office: four by assassination and four from illness or natural causes.

20. Which president never married?

James Buchanan is the only U.S. president who never married.

21. Which president had the most children?

John Tyler fathered 15 children, the largest number generally recognized for any U.S. president.

22. Did George Washington have children?

Washington had no biological children. His wife Martha had children from her earlier marriage, and Washington helped raise family members.

23. Which president was the son of another president?

Two presidents were sons of presidents: John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, and George W. Bush, son of George H. W. Bush.

24. Was Franklin Roosevelt related to Theodore Roosevelt?

Yes. They belonged to different branches of the Roosevelt family. Franklin also married Eleanor Roosevelt, who was Theodore Roosevelt's niece.

25. Who was president during the American Civil War?

Abraham Lincoln was president during most of the Civil War.

26. Who was president during World War I?

Woodrow Wilson was president during World War I.

27. Who was president during most of World War II?

Franklin D. Roosevelt led the United States through most of World War II. Harry Truman became president after Roosevelt's death in April 1945.

28. Which president ordered the use of atomic bombs against Japan?

Harry S. Truman was president when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

29. Who was president during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

John F. Kennedy was president during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

30. Who was president during the September 11 attacks?

George W. Bush was president during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

31. Who was the first African American president?

Barack Obama, who served from 2009 to 2017.

32. Has the United States ever had a female president?

No. As of August 2026, no woman has served as President of the United States.

33. What does the President of the United States do?

The president serves as the U.S. head of state, leader of the executive branch and Commander in Chief of the armed forces.

34. Is every political controversy a presidential scandal?

No. A policy decision can be controversial without involving corruption, criminal behavior or personal misconduct. Historical writing should distinguish between scandals, allegations, policy controversies and proven wrongdoing.

35. Where can reliable information about U.S. presidents be researched?

Useful authoritative historical resources include the White House Historical Association, official or archived White House presidential resources, USAGov, presidential libraries and academic projects such as the University of Virginia's Miller Center, which maintains extensive presidential biographies and research.

 

Disclaimer / Declaration

This article is provided for general educational, historical, and informational purposes only. Every effort has been made to present the information accurately and fairly based on commonly available historical records and public sources.

References to scandals, controversies, allegations, investigations, family matters, or political disputes should not automatically be interpreted as proof of criminal wrongdoing or personal guilt. In several cases, the controversy involved members of an administration, political associates, disputed allegations, historical interpretation, or policy decisions rather than proven misconduct by the President personally.

Historical accounts may also differ between sources, and new archival research can change the understanding of past events. Readers are therefore advised to verify important facts from authoritative sources such as official U.S. government records, presidential libraries, recognized historical institutions, and reliable academic publications.

The publisher and author of this article do not accept responsibility for any error, omission, outdated information, interpretation, or action taken solely on the basis of this article. The content should not be treated as legal, political, academic, or professional advice.

 

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