U.S. Presidents Before and After Major Historical Events
- FDR came to office under stressful times that would age any man, but Pearl Harbor rendered him a ghost of his former self. The launch of World War II took a toll on President Roosevelt, as his hair thinned and skin wrinkled from the stress.Does he look different?
Facing arguably the most arduous task of any executive before or since, Lincoln's years maintaining the Union took a visible toll on him. His already gaunt appearance grew even gaunter throughout the Civil War, and his previously dark beard grew more silver and wispy.
Does he look different?- Even after September 11th, George Bush looked like your average Baby Boomer. But after the absolute stress and total chaos of the Iraq War, you can see a far grayer and wrinklier President Bush.Does he look different?
- On the left is a pre-Benghazi, pre-HealthCare.gov, pre-ISIS, pre-Newtown, pre-San Bernadino, pre-candidate Donald Trump president named Barack Obama (at his very first State of the Union address). On the right is noticeably grayer Obama at his last State of the Union in 2016.Does he look different?
Bill Clinton's wrinkles decided to show up after a woman named Monica Lewinsky entered his life -- or perhaps a man named Kenneth Starr. President Clinton's impeachment trials were evidently quite stressful.
Does he look different?Jimmy Carter was changed by the Iran hostage crisis, as were international relations overall. For Carter, you can see it in his face.
Does he look different?Harry Truman wasn't exactly a young man when he entered the Oval Office. However, these two photos show the distinction between his first years as president and the years towards the end. On the right, you can see President Truman has aged considerably after making the call to drop the A-bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Does he look different?- Even once Richard Nixon committed the Watergate crimes, he did not look terribly aged. His rapid aging was a result of the scandal actually breaking, as you can see a bespectacled President Nixon saying farewell to his job.Does he look different?
- The Great Depression was not so great for Herbert Hoover, who rapidly became a gray-haired president. You can almost watch Hoover's downward spiral, in terms of aging, in correlation with the downward spiral of the economy he was presiding over.Does he look different?
LBJ looked considerably older after the Vietnam War was underway. Of course, President Johnson came into a very stressful office, considering JFK's assassination.
Does he look different?- Ronald Reagan was always the oldest president, but his transition to the absolute oldest-looking president is startling. The Iran-Contra affair took a toll on the President, as the picture on the right clearly reveals.Does he look different?
