Monday marks Presidents' Day in the United States, held to honour the birthday of founding father George Washington.
While the day-to-day dealings of their time in the White House are documented in intense detail, what outgoing presidents do next is often much less well-known and frequently interesting.
The most recent president to depart office, Donald Trump, has bucked the trend that saw most of his predecessors largely stay out of politics.
Instead he has stewed over conspiracy theories – most notably his so-called Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him – and plotted revenge against his enemies, supporting primary challengers against the “RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) who he feels were insufficiently loyal to him.
Banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for inciting violence, his public profile has been somewhat muted, at least compared to the daily tweet blasts that characterised his presidency. But in February 2022 he launched his own social media app, Truth Social – closely modelled on Twitter – in the hope of amplifying his message.
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Mr Trump – still widely popular in the Republican party – has been coy about whether he intends to run for the White House a third time in 2024. Were he to win, he would become only the second president of the United States, after Grover Cleveland, to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle have written books, worked with children's charities, carried out public speaking engagements and announced the signing of a multi-million dollar deal to produce TV shows and documentaries for Netflix last May.
Still widely-admired since leaving office in January 2017, Mr Obama had already appeared as the star guest on the opening episode of David Letterman’s new Netflix talk show and the site recently added Greg Barker’s HBO documentary The Final Year to its roster, which covers the tail end of his administration and preparations for the transition of power. Evidently the 44th president screentested well.
While Mr Obama had joked about going to work for Spotify when he left the Oval Office for the last time, he instead took the family kite surfing in the British Virgin Islands and white-water rafting in Bali, enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Show all 36
1/36President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad
President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Hannah McKay (Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk away after holding a joint news conference at Chequers) "This was the third and final time I was photographing Donald Trump during his working visit to the UK. I'd noticed he had a tendency to hold Theresa May by the hand when they used stairs, so I lay on the floor for fifteen minutes waiting for the pair to exit via some steps. As they did, Trump took May by the arm and shouted over his shoulder, "Yes" in response to the question "Mr. President, will you tell Putin to stay out of the U.S elections?" - from a reporter in the press conference."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump confers with White House Communications Director Hope Hicks as Press Secretary Sarah Sanders listens) "I stayed in the room after our reporters had left, and seemingly unnoticed like the cliched 'fly on the wall', I was witness to this unusual moment."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Chris Bergin (A supporter of Trump and Republican senate candidate Mike Braun at an election night party in Indianapolis) "I saw the colour-coordinated woman in the back of the ball room while covering mid-term elections. She stood out to me because she was lit by a single overhead light that created deep shadows."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Shannon Stapleton (Stormy Daniels, puts her shoe back on after passing through a security screening, as she arrives at federal court) "On the morning that I took this picture there was a mad scrum outside the courthouse to get a picture of Stormy Daniels. She didn't enter the regular entrance of a media gauntlet that was set up for her. I placed myself by a window where I saw her passing through the metal detector. Shooting through the window was difficult but I was able to make the frame."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump appears on the South Portico of the White House with the Easter Bunny during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll) "There are many holiday events at the White House, but one of the most light-hearted happens during Easter, when the President shows up at the balcony of the South Portico accompanied by someone in a big Easter bunny costume. I didn't have the best position, but towards the end, the bunny stood behind the President and I was able to take this shot."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (Melania Trump wearing a jacket with the phrase "I Really Don't Care. Do U?" on the back after a visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas) "I could not see the words on Melania's jacket when she boarded Air Force One. I only heard about it once airborne. But there was no way I was going to miss it again, and to my utter astonishment, she was wearing it once more upon her return to Washington."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions President Trump during a news conference following the midterm congressional elections) "Covering politics has always felt to me like photographing a live theatre production - the actors and stage are usually set in a familiar way. But even if you've seen a specific play many times, there is always the possibility that there will be something exciting or new. It became obvious during this exchange that the dialogue was going in a different direction than expected, and I took it as a cue to make sure I gave the scene extra attention."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Trump boards Air Force One for travel to Ohio) "We photograph departures and landings hundreds of times. Sometimes, as in this case, the clouds or the light can give you a little gift."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (Donald and Melania Trump stand beside French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife on a visit to the estate of the first US President George Washington) "I'm always happy for events that take us off the White House campus and provide new visual opportunities. This day, when the Trumps feted the Macrons at George Washington's historic estate, it provided just the right contrast for the stylish leader-couples as they took their spots for an otherwise posed moment."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump gestures after arriving in Pennsylvania to take part in the annual September 11 observance) "Celebratory fist pumps on a national day of mourning and reflection caught even the most seasoned of us off guard."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Peter Nicholls (Demonstrators fly a baby Trump blimp in London's Parliament Square, during his UK visit) "I took this picture of the Trump blimp from a wall at the back of Parliament Square, to get a clear view from above the crowd, as it was revealed for the first time, prior to a day of protests during his visit to the UK, mid-July."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un walk together before their working lunch during their summit in Singapore) "On a historic and difficult day, it was fun to look for the odd angle or expression. Here, Trump and Kim walk away after impromptu remarks to reporters - which clearly pleased the North Korean leader."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Ronen Zvulun (Ivanka Trump and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stand next to the dedication plaque at the new US embassy in Jerusalem) "I shot this picture when I was standing on a platform really close to Ivanka Trump. I knew exactly where to stand and what lens to use because I did a tour the day before. I knew this was the key picture we had been waiting for since the story broke some weeks before."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (The imprint of French President Emmanuel Macron's thumb across the back of Trump's hand at a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit) "This is taken right after the first photo-op the two presidents had at the G7 summit after they had a tense back-and-forth on Twitter. They were smiling but Macron gripped Trump's hand quite hard and I noticed that it left a visible impression on Trump's hand."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki) "Body language can give an ordinary photo much more meaning, and here, Trump and Putin did not disappoint."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Joshua Roberts (A father of a Florida shooting victim tries to shake hands with Brett Kavanaugh during his US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation) "This moment happened in a break in testimony. Kavanaugh seemed surprised as Guttenberg approached but as he turned away he looked anxious. Kavanaugh later said he did not understand who Guttenberg was at the time."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlo Allegri (First lady Melania Trump visits the Pyramids in Cairo) "The First Lady had taken a tour of African nations and could not depart the continent without a visit to the incredible pyramids of Egypt where I, as part of the traveling press pool, was able to make this photo of her looking out over Giza Pyramid Complex."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Brian Snyder (Trump and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a joint news conference in the White House) "The East Room felt tense even before President Trump and Chancellor Merkel entered for their joint news conference. With Merkel's podium behind the President's from my vantage point, she seemed to want to keep an eye on him. The East Room was very full for the joint news conference, with photographers on ladders all around the perimeter."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House counselor Kellyanne Conway gives an interview at the White House) "This is a fairly common scene at the White House, especially with Kellyanne Conway. Often the press will wait yards off while she or another member of the Trump administration gives a live interview. Conway will then walk past the rest of the press, and everyone hopes that she will give another interview to the group."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Francois Lenoir (President Trump attends a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during a NATO summit in Brussels) "I like the contrast in the photograph. The presence of U.S. President Trump posing smiling and the lack of interest of the officials in the background."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Thomas Musolino wears a mask of President Trump while holding his daughter Gianna during a Trump campaign rally) "The President's rallies are well-known at this point, we attend a lot of them as members of the White House travel pool. This father-daughter situation really stood out from the crowd because of the juxtaposition of the mask and the tenderness between the two of them." REUTERS/Leah Millis SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. LEAH MILLIS
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump observes a demonstration with US Army 10th Mountain Division troops as he visits Fort Drum) "President Trump often talks about how much he likes big planes and tanks, and the 'beautiful military.' This summer he had a up-close look during a visit to a military base in New York state, where he signed the National Defense Authorization Act."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jim Bourg (Christine Blasey Ford closes her eyes as she is sworn in before testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh) "The moment looks peaceful as if Christine Blasey Ford had closed her eyes in thought, but the image actually reflects the fact that in the nine seconds that she had her hand up to be sworn in to testify, she blinked several times. Blasey Ford began her testimony by saying: 'I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.'" REUTERS/Jim Bourg SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. JIM BOURG
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Supporters listen as President Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Montana) "As a White House photographer I'm always looking for a way to connect the President, Donald Trump, with a place. Before the mid-term elections Trump spent six days campaigning across the country, and at most of the rallies the visual elements were so similar that it was impossible to say whether we were in Florida or Alaska. In this case, though, the context was obvious. We arrived at a rally in Montana and I noticed a group of Native Americans wearing traditional headdresses behind the podium. For me this was the picture of the day."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Trump meets with supporters from a group called "Bikers for Trump" at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey) "President Trump likes to be celebrated by supporters, and none better than a group known as "Bikers for Trump," who visited him at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this summer. Unfortunately, it poured down that day and plans for an outdoor event gave way to a short visit inside the clubhouse for a group photo."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (A protester is removed during acting CIA Director Gina Haspel's testimony at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing) "Just like sports, you have to follow the action. This time, I followed it out of the hearing room and into the hallway."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (President Trump speaks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Convention) "I took this photograph as the pool was being ushered out to leave right before Trump's speech was supposed to end. These are the images we take after we have taken the literal, newsy ones."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump and Melania at the Flight 93 National Memorial) "A somber moment, this image came together because of the scale and symmetry of the wall panels and the people in the photo."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo awaits the start of a news conference) "I always say that as photojournalists we photograph through the lens of the lives we live, including the books we read, the music we listen to, the movies we watch. As I was waiting for President Trump to arrive at an event one day, I noticed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo standing right behind me in classic dark sunglasses. The image of John Belushi in the movie "The Blues Brothers" crossed my mind."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks during the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Paris) "During a recent visit to France and just days after a gunman opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, President Trump visited a WWI cemetery to honor American soldiers. As he spoke, I noted a gravestone at a side angle ？‘ a single Star of David in the middle of rows and rows of crosses. I felt in this moment, the image carried more meaning than the words."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Alex van der Zwaan goes through security at the US District Court after arriving for his sentencing) "Everyone has to go through security, no matter who you are. He seemed to embrace the inevitable as the woman with the wand asked him to turn around, facing him back towards the doors where many of the news media were still gathered."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Missouri) "In a last push before the mid-term elections, President Trump traveled for six consecutive days, attending two or three rallies a day, to boost Republican candidates. Most of the rallies were held in airport hangars for an easy flight in and out. Sometimes, the rallies were held in the middle of the night, like this one at Columbia Regional Airport in Columbia, Missouri."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump holds his prepared questions as he hosts a listening session with high school students and teachers to discuss school safety at the White House) "This event was loaded with raw emotion as school shooting victims from across the country described their experience as student-survivors or as friends and family who never stop mourning dead children. President Trump was given a hand-written card by one of his aides to help him navigate the emotional meeting, and pictures of the card helped tell the story of the day."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump behind the reflection of a House chamber railing as Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the US Congress) "The State of the Union speech is one of the most important political events at the beginning of the year. We usually photograph it from several fixed positions, but this year I was assigned to be the 'rotating' photographer, meaning I could move around on the balcony and shoot from different angles, but only during short windows of time. During one of those windows, I found an interesting play of light reflected off a gold-colored railing, which, at a certain angle, could be seen to fall over the president."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump arriving at Nashville International Airport) "One of my favorite photographers, Sam Abell, likes to quote his father: "Bad weather makes good pictures." In addition to the weather, the controlled chaos of White House press handlers and Secret Service agents help make pictures like this possible."
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President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House Communications Director Hope Hicks leaves after attending the House Intelligence Committee closed door meeting) "This is the product of about seven hours of waiting and lots of team work involving constant coordination to guess where to wait in order to capture Hope Hicks as she left the hill. Luckily, there were several cameramen along for the moment and their lighting captured her perfectly."
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He has also devoted time to establishing his own foundation and planning the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, a library and “centre for citizenship” being built in the neighbourhood where he got his start in politics as an enthusiastic young community organiser.
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Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) founded the University of Virginia when he retired from politics, designing the buildings, planning the institution’s curriculum and serving as its first rector when it opened in 1825.
John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) became the only president to stay on in the cut-and-thrust arena of Washington politics at a lower tier when he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1831. Adams served for 17 years and made the abolition of slavery his pet cause, earning the nickname “Old Man Eloquent” in tribute to his dedicated service.
Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) liked the job so much he returned for a second, later stint, the only president – so far – to have done so. Having served his first term between 1885 and 1889, Cleveland was succeeded by Benjamin Harrison before returning to the White House between 1893 and 1897, making him both the 22nd and 24th president of the US. Harrison, for his part, used his twilight years to marry his sweetheart Mary Scott, 25 years his junior. Good show.
When the energy industry wasn’t working for consumers, Theodore Roosevelt went in hard
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After serving two terms between 1901 and 1909, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) ran for a third time before limits were introduced, but lost to Woodrow Wilson. He and his son Kermit thereafter set out for Brazil in 1913 on a scientific survey of the superbly named Rio da Duvida (“River of Doubt”), risking death by malaria in the Amazon with the explorer Candido Rondon. Their adventures are described in his best-selling travel book, Through the Brazilian Wilderness.
If that sounds too much like hard work, ex-presidents can take a leaf out of Herbert Hoover’s book instead. Quite literally. It’s called Fishing for Fun and was published in 1963, an ode to the restorative pleasures of angling. Hoover (1874-1964) was so well known for his love of lazing by the riverside in his native Iowa that he was known as “the Fishing President”.
Writing was a common draw: Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) penned a syndicated newspaper column and even Gerald Ford (1913-2006) composed an unlikely tome, the anecdotes collection Humour and the Presidency in 1987.
All departing presidents face a degree of expectation about how they use their fame and influence for the public good and none have surpassed Jimmy Carter when it comes to tireless humanitarian endeavour.
Former US president Jimmy Carter (L) and Cuban President Fidel Castro listen to US National Anthems after Carter's arrival at the Jose Marti airport in Havana 12 May 2002
(AFP/Getty Images)
Establishing the Carter Center in 1982, the Democrat has served as a diplomat and ambassador across the world, mediating in myriad disputes and conflicts – notably in bringing North Korea and Cuba in from the cold – and earning a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He has even been credited with helping eradicate the blight of Guinea worm from Africa. “I can’t deny I’m a better ex-president than I was a president,” he once said.
Bill Clinton has likewise been a busy advocate for good causes and has by all accounts amassed a small fortune from the international after-dinner speaking circuit.
He was prominent on the campaign trail in 2016 in support of his wife Hillary and would have no-doubt served as the first-ever “First Dude” with good humour had she beaten Donald Trump to the White House.
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George W Bush has been relatively quiet since leaving office, only really raising eyebrows with his paintings of heads of state and world figures he met while in office, including Vladimir Putin, Tony Blair and the Dalai Lama, a hobby inspired by reading Winston Churchill’s 1932 essay “Painting as a Pastime”.
Whether he’s made any money from his unexpected dabbling in oils is unknown but he has received acclaim for his work in the “high-amateur” style and published a collection, Portraits of Courage, last year.