You’d think the answer is simple. One president, one vice president, right? Wrong.
If you’re sitting at a trivia night or just curious about American history, you might guess the number of VPs matches the number of presidents. It doesn't. Not even close.
As of early 2026, there have been 50 vice presidents in United States history.
JD Vance is the man currently holding the title, having taken the oath on January 20, 2025. He’s the 50th person to do it. But wait—Donald Trump is the 47th president. Why is there a gap? Why do we have more VPs than presidents?
The math gets weird because the office of the vice presidency is, honestly, a bit of a chaotic mess when you look at the timeline. People die. People resign. Sometimes, the seat just sits empty for years because nobody could agree on who should fill it.
Why the Numbers Don't Match
It’s easy to assume the two offices move in lockstep. They don't.
Since 1789, the U.S. has seen 47 different presidencies (though only 46 individuals, since Grover Cleveland is counted twice). Yet, we are already at 50 vice presidents. This happens for a few specific reasons.
First, some presidents had more than one VP.
- George Clinton and John C. Calhoun are the only two guys who served under two different presidents.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt went through three vice presidents (Garner, Wallace, and Truman) during his long tenure.
Then there are the vacancies. Before the 25th Amendment was ratified in 1967, if a vice president died or became president, the office just stayed empty until the next election. Believe it or not, the vice presidency has been vacant for a total of nearly 38 years throughout American history.
The Vacancy Problem
Historically, when a president died, the VP stepped up, and that was it. No replacement. When John Tyler took over for William Henry Harrison in 1841, the VP spot remained empty for almost four full years.
This happened 16 times before the rules changed.
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The Evolution of "Number Two"
The role of the vice president used to be a joke. Seriously. John Adams, the very first one, once described the position as "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived."
He wasn't wrong for the time. Back then, the VP's only real job was to preside over the Senate and wait for the president to die. They weren't part of the "inner circle." They weren't even always in the same party as the president.
The Mid-20th Century Shift
Things started changing around the time of Harry Truman. After FDR died, Truman realized he had no idea what was going on with the Manhattan Project. He was the Vice President, and he was completely in the dark about the atomic bomb.
Congress realized this was a massive security risk.
Eventually, the role morphed into what we see today. Modern VPs like Walter Mondale, Dick Cheney, and Joe Biden turned the office into a power center. They moved into the White House (literally—Cheney and Biden had offices just steps from the Oval). They became "last person in the room" advisors.
Fast Facts About the 50 Vice Presidents
To really understand how many vice presidents have there been and why they matter, you have to look at the outliers.
- The Youngest: John C. Breckinridge was only 36 when he took office in 1857.
- The Oldest: Alben Barkley was 71 when he started under Truman.
- The Resigners: Only two have ever quit. John C. Calhoun left to join the Senate, and Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 amid a bribery scandal.
- The "Accidental" Presidents: 15 vice presidents have eventually become president. Eight of those happened because the sitting president died in office.
The 25th Amendment Game Changer
In 1973, we saw something truly weird. Spiro Agnew resigned. Richard Nixon then appointed Gerald Ford to replace him using the 25th Amendment. Then, Nixon himself resigned.
Suddenly, Gerald Ford—a man who was never elected on a national ticket—became the President. He then appointed Nelson Rockefeller as his VP. For a brief period, the two highest offices in the land were held by people the public hadn't actually voted for in a general election.
The Current State of the Office
As we look at the landscape in 2026, JD Vance occupies the 50th slot. His role, like those of Kamala Harris and Mike Pence before him, is a far cry from the "insignificant" job John Adams complained about.
Today’s VP is a diplomat, a tie-breaker, and a surrogate for the President’s most controversial policies. They are the heir apparent.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re trying to keep track of these historical figures, don't just memorize a list.
Start by looking at the "Succession" vice presidents. These are the people who moved the needle of history. Study guys like Lyndon B. Johnson or Theodore Roosevelt. They didn't just fill a seat; they took over during national crises and fundamentally changed the country.
Track the Senate tie-breakers. If you want to see the VP's actual power in real-time, watch the Senate. In a divided government, the 50th vice president is often the most powerful person in the room because their single vote can pass—or kill—massive pieces of legislation.
Visit the sites. If you're near Washington D.C., you can't tour Number One Observatory Circle (the VP's residence), but you can see the busts of all past vice presidents in the U.S. Capitol. It’s a haunting visual of just how many people have stood one heartbeat away from the most powerful job on Earth.
Understanding the count of 50 isn't just about the number. It's about recognizing the gaps, the tragedies, and the slow evolution of a "useless" job into the second most powerful position in the world.