If you’re looking for a quick answer, here it is: Grover Cleveland is the 24th President of the United States.
But wait, wasn't he also the 22nd?
Yeah, it’s a bit of a historical brain-teaser. Honestly, Cleveland is the reason the numbering of U.S. presidents gets so messy. He is the only guy in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms. He won, he lost, and then he basically said, "Hold my beer," and won again.
Why the numbering is so weird
Usually, when a president serves two terms, like Obama or Reagan, we just count them once. But because Cleveland had a four-year "gap year" where Benjamin Harrison (the 23rd president) took over the Oval Office, historians decided to count his terms separately.
So, he's the 22nd president (1885–1889) and the 24th president (1893–1897).
💡 You might also like: JD Vance River Raised Controversy: What Really Happened in Ohio
The man behind the mustache
Cleveland wasn't your typical polished politician. He was a big, gruff guy—tipping the scales at about 275 pounds—who loved his cigars and his beer. People called him "Big Steve" (his first name was actually Stephen) and "Uncle Jumbo."
He wasn't exactly a social butterfly. In fact, he was a bachelor when he first entered the White House and reportedly hated the "French stuff" they served at formal dinners, preferring a simple plate of pickled herring or a pork chop.
Eventually, he married Frances Folsom in the White House. She was 21; he was 49. It sounds a little "cringe" by today’s standards, but the public absolutely loved her. She was the 19th-century version of a celebrity influencer.
What happened during his 24th presidency?
His second time around was way harder than the first. If his first term was about cleaning up corruption, his second term as the 24th president was a total firestorm.
📖 Related: Who's the Next Pope: Why Most Predictions Are Basically Guesswork
- The Panic of 1893: Literally right after he was inaugurated, the economy took a massive nosedive. We’re talking banks closing, railroads failing, and unemployment hitting 20%.
- The Gold Standard Fight: Cleveland was obsessed with keeping the U.S. on the gold standard. He ended up making a deal with J.P. Morgan—yes, that J.P. Morgan—to buy gold for the Treasury. It saved the currency but made him look like he was in the pocket of big banks.
- The Pullman Strike: When railroad workers went on strike in 1894, Cleveland didn't play nice. He sent in federal troops to break it up, famously saying that if it took the whole army to deliver a postcard in Chicago, that card would be delivered.
He was a man of "steely stubbornness." He didn't care about being popular; he cared about being right—or at least what he thought was right. By the time he left office in 1897, he was pretty much hated by everyone, including his own party.
The Secret Surgery
Here is a bit of "inside baseball" for you. During his second term, Cleveland discovered a cancerous tumor on the roof of his mouth.
Instead of telling the public—which probably would have caused a massive stock market panic—he had the surgery done in total secret. They literally operated on him on a moving yacht called the Oneida while it sailed off Long Island. They removed a huge chunk of his jaw and fitted him with a rubber prosthetic.
The public didn't find out the truth for nearly 25 years. Talk about a "hush-hush" operation.
👉 See also: Recent Obituaries in Charlottesville VA: What Most People Get Wrong
Actionable takeaways: Why you should care
Cleveland’s legacy as the 24th president is a masterclass in staying the course even when the world is screaming at you to change.
- Check your numbering: If you're ever at a trivia night, remember that the total number of people who have been president is one less than the number of the current president.
- Understand the Gold Standard: If you ever wonder why people argue about "fiat currency" or "hard money" today, Cleveland’s 1893 struggle is where a lot of those modern economic debates started.
- The power of the Veto: Cleveland used the veto power more than almost any president before him. He was the ultimate "no" man, believing the government shouldn't be giving out "special favors" to anyone.
Whether you think he was a principled hero or a stubborn obstacle, Grover Cleveland remains the ultimate outlier in the American presidency. He proved that you can lose the White House and still find your way back—provided you have enough grit and a very large mustache.
Next Steps for You:
To get a better feel for the era Cleveland lived in, look up the "Panic of 1893." It helps explain why his second term was such a disaster for his popularity. You might also want to check out the history of the "Mugwumps"—the reform-minded Republicans who actually helped this Democrat get elected in the first place.