:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(734x189:736x191)/living-presidents-Split-021923-fa406bb92ccc48b8a5752dbd6b7482f8.jpg)
The Oval Office is basically a pressure cooker. You enter with dark hair and leave looking like you’ve seen a ghost—or at least a decade’s worth of high-stakes intelligence briefings. Right now, we have a specific group of men who know exactly what that weight feels like. There are currently five still living US presidents walking among us, and their post-presidency lives are a weird mix of high-level diplomacy, massive book deals, and the occasional trip to a hardware store with a dozen Secret Service agents in tow.
It’s a small club. Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Joe Biden is currently the incumbent, making the total count of those who have held the title six, but when we talk about the "former" guys, the dynamics get fascinating.
The Longevity of Jimmy Carter
Honestly, Jimmy Carter redefined what it means to be a former president. Most people expected him to fade away after his 1980 loss to Reagan. Instead, he outlived everyone. At 101 years old, he is the longest-lived president in American history. He’s been in hospice care in Plains, Georgia, for an incredible amount of time, defying expectations every single day.
Carter didn't just sit on a porch. He built houses. Habitat for Humanity became synonymous with his name because he actually showed up with a hammer. He wasn't just a figurehead; he was sweaty, dirty, and working. That’s rare. He also used the Carter Center to virtually eliminate the Guinea worm disease. We’re talking about going from millions of cases to just a handful. That is a tangible, biological victory for a guy who was once blamed for high gas prices.
His lifestyle remained surprisingly modest. He famously lived in a ranch house in Georgia that cost less than the armored Secret Service vehicles parked in his driveway.
Why the Post-Presidency of George W. Bush Surprised Everyone
Then you have George W. Bush. When he left office in 2009, his approval ratings were... not great. The Iraq War and the 2008 financial crisis left a heavy shadow. But then something shifted. He picked up a paintbrush.
It sounds like a joke, but his book Portraits of Courage actually received decent critical acclaim. He started painting veterans—the very people he sent into combat. It’s a heavy, introspective way to spend your retirement. He mostly stays out of the day-to-day political mudslinging, which is a stark contrast to how things work now. You’ll occasionally see him at a baseball game or sneaking a piece of candy to Michelle Obama at a funeral, a cross-party friendship that went viral because it felt so human in a polarized time.
📖 Related: Sweden School Shooting 2025: What Really Happened at Campus Risbergska
Bush lives a relatively quiet life in Dallas. He bikes. He paints. He stays away from the cameras unless it’s for a cause he cares about, like the PEPFAR program which has saved millions of lives in Africa by fighting HIV/AIDS.
Bill Clinton and the Health Scares
Bill Clinton’s post-presidency was initially defined by the Clinton Global Initiative. He was the "Explainer in Chief," a guy who could talk about complex economic policy for three hours and make you feel like you understood it. But health has been a recurring theme for him.
After leaving the White House, Clinton underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2004. It changed him. He famously went vegan for a while—though he later admitted to adding some fish and lean protein back in—to combat heart disease. You can see it in his appearance; he’s much thinner than the man who was famously obsessed with McDonald's in the 90s.
Despite the health hurdles, he remains a political animal. He’s always calculating, always reading. He and Hillary Clinton remain a power couple in Chappaqua, New York, though his public appearances have slowed down compared to the early 2010s.
Barack Obama: The Cultural Icon
Barack Obama handled his exit differently. He went on vacation. Specifically, he went kitesurfing with Richard Branson. It was the ultimate "I’m off the clock" move.
Since then, the Obamas have leaned heavily into media. Their deal with Netflix through Higher Ground Productions has won Oscars. They aren't just former politicians; they are cultural moguls. Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, sold millions of copies on day one.
👉 See also: Will Palestine Ever Be Free: What Most People Get Wrong
He still weighs in on major issues, but he’s selective. He knows his voice carries a specific weight. He lives between Washington D.C., Martha’s Vineyard, and Hawaii. He’s often spotted golfing, which seems to be the universal retirement hobby for still living US presidents, regardless of their party.
Donald Trump: The Rule Breaker
Donald Trump broke the mold of the "quiet" former president. Usually, there’s an unspoken rule: you don't criticize your successor. Trump threw that rule out the window on day one.
His post-presidency has been dominated by legal battles and his 2024 campaign. Unlike Carter or Bush, Trump didn't retreat to a library or a woodshop. He stayed at the center of the news cycle. Mar-a-Lago became a de facto political headquarters.
It’s a fundamentally different approach to the office’s afterlife. It’s loud, it’s litigious, and it’s constant. Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t argue that he changed the expectations for what a former president does with their time.
The Money and the Security
Let’s talk about the logistics. Being a former president is a lucrative gig, but it’s also a gilded cage.
- The Pension: Under the Former Presidents Act, they get a pension equal to the pay of a Cabinet Secretary. That’s over $220,000 a year.
- The Staff: They get an allowance for office space and a small staff.
- The Secret Service: This is the big one. They get lifetime protection. This means they can’t just drive themselves to a movie theater. They are always surrounded by a bubble of men and women with earpieces.
Imagine never being able to drive a car on a public road again. That’s the reality for these guys. Once you’ve held the nuclear codes, the government doesn't just let you go for a solo stroll in the woods.
✨ Don't miss: JD Vance River Raised Controversy: What Really Happened in Ohio
The "Presidents Club"
There is a weird bond between these men. They are the only people on Earth who understand the specific isolation of that job. They’ve all had to make decisions that resulted in people dying. That does something to your head.
Despite the bitter things they say about each other during campaigns, they often find a weird common ground afterward. They show up for each other's library openings. They stand together at state funerals. There’s a photo from the 2017 "One America Appeal" concert where all the then-living former presidents stood together to raise money for hurricane relief. It’s a reminder that the office is bigger than the person.
Misconceptions About the Role
People think the former presidents are still "in charge" behind the scenes. They aren't. They have influence, sure. They can call up world leaders. But they don't have the "football."
Another myth: they all get along. Not true. The tensions between the Trump camp and the Obama/Bush/Clinton camps are real and documented. They don't have a secret weekly dinner where they decide the fate of the world. It's more like an awkward alumni association where some members really can't stand each other.
Actions You Can Take Today
If you’re interested in the legacy of the still living US presidents, don't just watch the news. The best way to understand them is through their libraries.
- Visit a Presidential Library: Each of these men has (or is building) a library. The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas or the Clinton Center in Little Rock offer massive archives that show the why behind their decisions.
- Read the Memoirs: Don't just read the bestsellers. Look at Jimmy Carter’s An Hour Before Daylight for a look at his childhood, or Obama’s Dreams from My Father (written before he was president) to see the man before the machine.
- Follow the Post-Presidency Foundations: If you want to see what they actually care about now, look at their foundations. The Obama Foundation focuses on leadership, while the Bush Institute focuses on economic growth and human freedom.
- Check the Federal Register: If you’re a nerd for details, you can actually look up the expenses for former presidents. It’s all public record. You can see exactly how much taxpayer money goes into their office rent and travel.
The transition from the most powerful person in the world to a private citizen is jarring. Some handle it with hammers and nails, some with paintbrushes, and others with rallies and social media. Regardless of the method, the way a president spends their "afterlife" often tells you more about their character than their time in the White House ever did.