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What Can Presidents Do Once They Leave Office?

“There is nothing more pathetic in life than a former President”- John Quincy Adams

By Isa NanPublished 2 years ago 7 min read
Top Story - March 2022
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Image: Vox

Imagine this, you served in the highest office of the land. You were the leader of the free world and are one of the most recognisable people on the planet. But now, it’s time to pack up and leave cause you’re out of a job. Where do you go from there?

Most Presidents serve between 4–8 years in office and the transition back to a somewhat normal life after a few years in the White House is not always the easiest thing to do. In this article, we will explore a few things that a former President can do once their time in office is up.

Enjoy Their Retirement

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s five years after leaving office, Ronald Reagan spent the remainder of his life in a happy and quiet retirement. Image: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation

Since 1958, the US has made sure that their former leaders are well looked after. Thanks to the Former Presidents Act, ex-Presidents do not have to worry about looking for a new source of income among other helpful perks.

Based on the Act, former Presidents are entitled to a yearly pension of over $200,000. In addition to that, they are also given allowances for travel, medical care and staff. The expenses incurred during their move out of the White House are also covered.

As Former Presidents often remain well-known in the public eye, they are also entitled to lifetime Secret Service protection. Due to this protection, Ex-Presidents are not permitted to drive on public roads but it’s a small price to pay for free protection and a glorified chauffeur

Many of these perks extend to their spouses as well. Former First Ladies will also receive allowances for travel and medical expenses as well as Secret Service protection. Widows of former Presidents will also receive a yearly pension of $20,000. These perks will only be given provided that they do not remarry. The children of former Presidents are also given Secret Service protection until the age of 16.

Lastly, when a former President dies, their funeral costs are also covered. Generally, ex-Presidents get State Funerals and these are usually very large and public affairs, so they do not need to personally bear these costs. That being said, they will have the unnerving task of planning their own funeral.

It’s a pretty sweet deal all things considered. If they managed their money well enough in the years prior, an ex-President would have no need to find any additional income in order to continue to live comfortably.

However, as you will soon see, this is almost never the case.

Book Deals and Speaking Tours

Since leaving office, Barack Obama has gone on to sign a whopping $65,000,000 book deal. That is 162 years worth of a President’s annual salary. Image: Nbcnews.com

A President’s salary is fixed at $400,000 a year. While it is a respectable sum, a lot of other people can make a whole lot more than that with a fraction of the effort that it takes to be President. In fact, most former Presidents only start making serious cash once they leave office.

Barack Obama was able to sign a $65,000,000 book deal when he left office. Bill Clinton did something similar and netted himself a $14,000,000 deal. Although much less than Obama’s, it dramatically eclipsed his Presidential salary and I bet, it’s far less stressful to write a book than it is to run a country.

George Bush earns a hefty $100,000- $170,000 per speech. To put that into perspective, he can make more from just eight speeches than he did from his entire two terms as President. This is on top of a $10,000,000 book deal as well.

Perhaps it’s fair. After years of being overworked and arguably somewhat underpaid, why not take some time to rake in the big bucks while taking it a little easy once your time has passed?

Get a Job

Finding himself in financial trouble after leaving office, Jimmy Carter returned to his peanut firm and worked to pay off his debts. As a one-term President he did enjoy the exact same retirement benefits as his fellow Presidents who served a full two terms. Image: Nbc.com

One of the main reasons for the passing of the Former President’s Act was that in the past, many Ex-Presidents did not have any means of supporting themselves once they left office. A number of earlier Presidents came from more humble beginnings and often left the White House with just as little to their names as when they came in. So, they had to find work to keep afloat.

George Washington opened a whiskey distillery that made a modest profit after leaving office. Calvin Coolidge began writing for newspapers and magazines to continue earning a living. Harry Truman had to move back into his mother in law’s house while trying to get back on his feet by writing books.

Perhaps most famously, one term President Jimmy Carter had to go back to work following his time in office. Never wealthy to begin with, Carter’s peanut farm which he ran prior to being elected found itself deeply in debt in his absence. Carter had to work on reorganising his business and paying off his debt once his time as President ended. Following this, he began doing humanitarian work and earned a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

It goes to show that sometimes, leaving the White House is more like getting fired from a steady job as opposed to earning a well deserved retirement.

Stay In Public Service

Heavily involved in the legal field, William Howard Taft had been a lawyer, judge and law teacher. His father was also Attorney General in the past. With that background, he always aspired to become Chief Justice. Taft achieved that dream after leaving the White House. Image: Americanheritage.com

All former Presidents remain in the public eye in one way or another. Usually however, they do not go back to work full-time as an elected official. For a few former Presidents, the duty of public service prompted them to find new roles to continue serving.

John Quincy Adams, who grew tired of the monotony of retirement, returned to Congress less than two years after his tenure as President ended. So dedicated was Adams to his service that he remained in the Capitol till his very last breath, dying in the Speaker’s Chambers after suffering a Cerebral Haemorrhage in the House.

Andrew Johnson, who has the dubious distinction of being the first President to be impeached, returned to public service in order to rehabilitate his image. Becoming the only President to be elected to the Senate following his time in office, Johnson’s return to politics was motivated by a desire to restore his reputation and take revenge on the people who discredited him during his Presidency. Unfortunately for Johnson, he died just a few months after his appointment.

William Howard Taft’s post Presidency public service was quite different. Unlike Adams and Johnson who remained in politics, Taft became part of the Judiciary. Taft was a lawyer by training and had been appointed as a judge in the past. He had also spent the years after his Presidency teaching law in Yale. So, he was more than qualified to climb to the very top of the judiciary, eventually being appointed Chief Justice in 1921. Many have noted that Taft had wanted to become Chief Justice more than he did President and he remains the only person to have held both positions.

It goes to show that the Presidency isn’t always the be all and end all of many people’s political careers. It should be noted however, that if any of the more recent ex-Presidents were planning on doing this, they would have to give up many of their retirement benefits.

Try To Become President Again

As he only served one term as President, Donald Trump can still stand for the Presidency. However it is no easy feat as only one former President ever returned to office from an election defeat. Image: Theguardian.com

Before the 22nd Amendment came into force in 1951, a person could serve as President for as many terms as they wanted, provided that they win the election. They could also return to office if they won a new election after having previously been defeated. It was more common in the past for many former Presidents to at least attempt to mount a comeback before finally calling it quits.

That being said, only one person was able to return to the White House after being voted out before. Grover Cleveland who was defeated after his first term by Benjamin Harrison in 1889, managed to retake the Presidency in 1893. To date, Cleveland is the only person to have served non-consecutive terms as President.

Although Grover Cleveland’s feat was achieved long before 22nd Amendment, it can still be replicated. As a President can only serve a maximum of two terms, any President defeated after their first term can stand to be elected for another four years.

Today, only Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump have that option open to them. While it is unlikely that the 97 year old Carter would want to mount a political comeback over four decades after his defeat, we can’t yet rule out Donald Trump. Love him or hate him, he has stated his intention to retake the Presidency in 2025. While it is definitely not a given, it is still a possibility that will be met with all manner of responses from the entire Nation should it come true.

It goes to show that while you may never again be the leader of the free world, there’s plenty an ex-President can do to spend their “retirement” years. If you play your cards right, you might not have to do anything at all.

Thus, being a former President may not be all that pathetic after all. Sure you’ll never be as powerful or as renowned as you once were, but there’s still plenty to do. Whether it be continuing to serve, taking it easy or making money, there is definitely a life beyond the White House.

Humanity
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About the Creator

Isa Nan

Written accounts of life, death and everything in between

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