When we think of American presidents, we usually picture stoic faces on currency or powerful figures behind a podium. But history is made of people, and people have bodies that change, age, and sometimes struggle. If you’ve ever wondered who is the heaviest US president, the name William Howard Taft probably jumps to mind immediately.
He was a big guy. There’s no way around that.
But Taft’s story isn't just a punchline about a large man in a high office. It’s actually a pretty relatable saga of a man fighting his biology while holding the most stressful job on the planet. Honestly, his battle with the scale feels surprisingly modern.
Why William Howard Taft is the Heaviest US President
Taft stood about 5 feet 11 inches tall, which was decent for the early 1900s. However, at his peak, he tipped the scales at roughly 340 pounds. Some reports suggest he may have hit 350 during the most intense years of his presidency.
To put that in perspective, he was nearly 100 pounds heavier than his predecessor, the famously active Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was no waif himself, but Taft was in a different league entirely.
His weight wasn't just a number. It affected his daily life in ways we can track through his personal letters. He dealt with:
- Intense heartburn that made it hard to eat regular meals.
- Severe fatigue, often falling asleep during meetings or even at the dinner table.
- Indigestion and "restless sleep," which modern doctors suspect was actually sleep apnea.
It’s easy to joke about it now, but for Taft, it was a source of genuine physical and social discomfort. He famously quipped that "no real gentleman weighs more than 300 pounds," showing that he was painfully aware of his own size.
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The Bathtub Myth: What Really Happened?
If you mention Taft, someone is going to bring up the bathtub. You know the story: he allegedly got stuck in a White House tub and had to be pried out with butter or by a team of servants.
Here’s the thing—it probably never happened.
Historians have scoured the records, and there is zero contemporary evidence of a "stuck in the tub" incident. No diary entries from valets, no secret memos, nothing. What is true is that Taft had a massive, custom-made bathtub installed in the White House.
This tub was a behemoth. It was over seven feet long, weighed a ton (literally), and was wide enough for four grown men to sit in it side-by-side. Photos of the tub with four workers inside were published in trade journals like Engineering Review back in 1909.
He didn't get stuck because he was smart enough to order a tub that could actually fit him. He also had similar custom tubs installed on his presidential yacht and at his favorite hotels. He liked to soak, and he made sure he had the equipment to do it comfortably.
A Century-Old Battle with "Modern" Dieting
Taft was a "yo-yo" dieter long before that term existed. He wasn't just eating everything in sight without a care; he was actually working with one of the world's first celebrity diet gurus, a British doctor named Nathaniel Yorke-Davies.
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Their correspondence is fascinating. From across the Atlantic, Yorke-Davies prescribed a regimen that looks a lot like a modern low-carb diet. Taft’s daily routine involved:
- Hot water and lemon at 8 a.m. to "prime" the system.
- Lean grilled meats for breakfast (around 6 ounces).
- Gluten biscuits specially shipped from London.
- No snacking and strictly limited sugar.
Did it work? At first, yes.
In one stretch, Taft dropped about 60 pounds. But the stress of the presidency—and a deep-seated love for food—made it impossible to maintain. He would write to his doctor about feeling "continuously hungry." By the time he was inaugurated in 1909, he had gained it all back and then some.
It’s a cycle many people today understand all too well. The pressure of the office didn't help. Imagine trying to stay on a strict diet while attending state dinners with nine-course meals and endless toasts.
Life After the White House: The Real Success Story
Taft’s weight didn't define his whole life, even if it defined his public image. Most people don't realize he is the only person to ever serve as both President of the United States and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
He actually liked the Supreme Court way more. He once said, "I don't remember that I ever was President."
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Once the stress of the Oval Office was gone, Taft finally conquered his weight. In his post-presidential years, he lost about 80 pounds and kept it off. He became an avid golfer and walked miles every day. By the time he died in 1930, he weighed roughly 244 pounds—almost the same as his college weight at Yale.
Ranking the Heaviest US Presidents
While Taft is the undisputed champion of the scales, he isn't the only president who struggled with size. Obesity was actually quite common among 19th and early 20th-century leaders, partly because a "substantial" figure was seen as a sign of prosperity.
Here is how the heavyweights of the Oval Office generally stack up:
- William Howard Taft: 340+ lbs
- Grover Cleveland: 260-280 lbs (He was famously called "Uncle Jumbo")
- Donald Trump: 239-244 lbs (Based on official physicals)
- William McKinley: ~200 lbs (At 5'7", this put his BMI in the obese range)
- Theodore Roosevelt: ~200-220 lbs (Very muscular, but technically obese by BMI standards later in life)
It's worth noting that height plays a huge role here. Lincoln was 6'4" but incredibly thin, while someone like Madison was only 5'4" and weighed barely 100 pounds. Taft was the outlier—a massive frame that dominated every room he entered.
Lessons from the Taft Era
Looking back at the heaviest US president gives us more than just trivia. It’s a case study in how we view health and leadership. Taft was a brilliant legal mind and a dedicated public servant, yet his physical size became his primary legacy for many.
If you are looking to apply Taft's history to modern life, consider these points:
- Stress is a major factor: Taft only achieved sustainable weight loss after leaving the high-pressure environment of the White House.
- Customization matters: He didn't let his size stop him from being comfortable; he modified his environment (like the bathtub) to fit his needs.
- Health is a long game: His success in his 60s proves that it's never too late to change habits, even after decades of struggle.
Taft's story isn't about a man who "failed" a diet. It's about a man who eventually found a balance that worked for him, away from the prying eyes of the public and the crushing weight of the presidency.
To better understand the physical toll of the presidency, look into the medical records of leaders like FDR or JFK, who managed significant health crises while in office. You can also research the evolution of the White House kitchen and how presidential menus have shifted from the 9-course feasts of the Taft era to the more health-conscious options preferred by modern administrations.