Bush, George Walker (1946-…), was president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was elected in 2000 and reelected in 2004. Bush, a Republican, had served as the governor of Texas before being elected to the presidency.
The election of 2000 was one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history. Bush received a smaller number of popular votes than his Democratic opponent, Vice President Al Gore. However, Bush got more votes than Gore did in the Electoral College. Bush’s election was the fourth in U.S. history in which the winner received fewer popular votes than his opponent. The other three men who won the presidency without the most popular votes were John Quincy Adams in 1824, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, and Benjamin Harrison in 1888.
Bush’s election in 2000 was also historic because of his family. The election marked the second time in U.S. history that the son of a former president was elected president. Bush’s father, George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018), served as president from 1989 to 1993. The only other father and son to be elected president were John Adams and John Quincy Adams. The Adamses held office from 1797 to 1801 and from 1825 to 1829, respectively.
Bush was first elected at a time of economic prosperity in the United States. Unemployment was low. It was a time of peace. Terrorism threatened, however. Major attacks had struck U.S. embassies in 1998 and a U.S. warship in 2000. During his 2000 presidential campaign, Bush emphasized what he called “compassionate conservatism.” He proposed cutting taxes and using the nation’s prosperity to help people in need. He also promised to restore “honor and dignity” to the White House. Bush’s promise referred to departing President Bill Clinton. Personal scandals had marred Clinton’s time in office.
In the first year of Bush’s presidency, the United States suffered the worst terrorist attacks in its history. On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists in hijacked jetliners crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon Building in Washington, D.C. About 3,000 people died in the attacks. In response, Bush ordered military action against the Taliban, the rulers of Afghanistan. The Taliban had refused to close down training camps run by the terrorist organization al-Qa`ida. They had also refused to turn over al-Qa`ida’s leader, Osama bin Laden. A U.S.-led force soon defeated the Taliban. The United States helped set up a new government in Afghanistan. Bin Laden, however, eluded capture until 2011, when U.S. counterterrorism soldiers killed him in northern Pakistan. To protect against future attacks at home, Bush ordered the creation of the Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security. The new department began operating in 2003. 
Bush also led the nation into the Iraq War (2003-2011). In that war, U.S.-led forces brought about the downfall of Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein. During Bush’s reelection campaign in 2004, he promised to continue working to prevent terrorism. He defeated his Democratic opponent, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, in the election that November. Bush became the first son of a former president to be reelected president.
Criticism of Bush began to mount during his second term. Some opponents charged that the administration had provided misleading evidence in persuading Congress to authorize the Iraq War. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. The hurricane became one of the worst disasters in U.S. history. The federal government faced criticism that it was slow to respond to the disaster. In 2007 and 2008, due in part to a troubled mortgage industry, a major financial crisis developed. Bush signed into law legislation that provided hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out failing banks.
Bush’s approval rating after the September 11 terrorist attacks had topped 90 percent—the highest in U.S. history. However, he left office deeply unpopular. In public opinion polls, his approval ratings fell below 30 percent. Those ratings were some of the lowest figures since such polling began in the 1930’s.
Early life
Family background.
George Walker Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. His parents were living in New Haven while his father was a student at Yale University.
Bush’s father, George Herbert Walker Bush, grew up in Connecticut. After achieving financial success as an oilman in Texas, he turned to politics. His father, Prescott Sheldon Bush, had been a U.S. senator from Connecticut. George Herbert Walker Bush won election to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from Texas. He served from 1967 to 1971. During the 1970’s, he held several high-ranking posts. He served successively as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. envoy to China, and head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was vice president of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989. He was U.S. president from 1989 to 1993.
George W. Bush’s mother, Barbara Pierce Bush (1925-2018), grew up in New York. Her father was the publisher of McCall’s and Redbook magazines.
George W. Bush was the first of the couple’s six children. The second child, born in 1949, was Pauline Robinson, called Robin. She died of leukemia in 1953 at the age of 3. Young George also had three brothers—John, called Jeb (1953-…), Neil (1955-…), and Marvin (1956-…) He also had another sister, Dorothy (1959-…).
Boyhood.
Bush grew up in Midland, in western Texas. His parents moved to the state from Connecticut when he was 2 years old. His father wanted to get involved in the booming oil business.
Bush was 7 years old when his little sister, Robin, died. He and his parents were grief-stricken. His parents later told friends that young George helped them deal with their sorrow. George tried to be cheerful and funny and make them laugh. As a child, he was known for his love of mischief and his joking remarks.
School life.
Bush attended Sam Houston Elementary School in Midland. He then went on to San Jacinto Junior High. He spent one year, seventh grade, at San Jacinto.
In 1959, the Bushes moved to Houston. For the next two years, George attended Kinkaid School, a private academy. He was a member of the football team. He was remembered as making friends easily.
Bush spent his final years of high school at the exclusive preparatory school his father had attended, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. His grades were average. But his lively personality and quick tongue won him attention. He played basketball and baseball. He was also the head football cheerleader in his senior year.
College and military service
In 1964, Bush began his studies at Yale University, the college his father had attended. He majored in history. Classmates found him friendly and fun-loving. He enjoyed parties and sports, especially rugby. He was elected president of his fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon. He also belonged to Yale’s elite secret society, Skull and Bones.
In 1968, as Bush was finishing up at Yale, the United States was deeply divided over the Vietnam War (1957-1975). Just before college graduation, Bush applied and was accepted as an airman in the Texas Air National Guard. His commitment included 53 weeks of full-time training to become a pilot. He graduated in December 1969. He then continued flight training on the F-102 jet fighter. Bush attempted to sign up for a program that rotated pilots to Vietnam but was not accepted. He had not logged enough flight hours to participate.
Business school
Bush completed his active duty with the Texas Air National Guard in 1970. He graduated from flight training school with a rank of lieutenant. In 1973, he entered Harvard Business School. He received an M.B.A. degree there in 1975.
Bush later described the three years between completing active duty and entering business school as his “nomadic” period. He continued to fulfill his part-time commitment to the National Guard. But he did not find lasting, full-time employment. During this period, he applied for admission to law school but was not accepted. He was a management trainee with an agricultural firm. He worked on a political campaign in Alabama for a Republican seeking a Senate seat. He also served as a counselor in a Houston program for disadvantaged youngsters.
Congressional candidate
Bush returned to Midland after graduating from Harvard Business School. He began working in the oil business. In 1977, the congressional representative for the district that included Midland announced his retirement. Bush decided to seek the Republican nomination for the post.
Bush quickly assembled a campaign team, mostly made up of friends who volunteered to help him. They began raising funds. He campaigned tirelessly across the sprawling district. He won the nomination. But Bush lost the election to his Democratic opponent. The opponent, a native Texan, portrayed Bush as an “outsider.” However, Bush received 47 percent of the vote in a district that had never elected a Republican to Congress.
Bush’s family
In mid-1977, shortly after announcing his candidacy for Congress, Bush attended a cookout at the home of friends. There, he met Laura Welch (Nov. 4, 1946-…). The couple started dating. They married about three months later, on Nov. 5, 1977. The newlyweds put off their honeymoon to focus on Bush’s campaign for office.
Laura Welch Bush, a native Texan, grew up in Midland as an only child. Her father, Harold, was a building contractor. Her mother served as his bookkeeper. Laura was known as a reserved, quiet person who loved to read. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Southern Methodist University. She received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas at Austin. She was working as a librarian when she met Bush. She had also been a schoolteacher.
The Bushes had twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. The children were born in 1981. They were named for their grandmothers.
Business career
Oil exploration.
In the late 1970’s, Bush set up an oil exploration company. He called the company Arbusto Energy Incorporated, later Bush Exploration Company. The company searched for potentially profitable oil and gas fields. After his election loss, Bush turned his energies to his company.
In the early 1980’s, oil prices fell. Many oil companies went out of business. Bush merged his company with another small oil firm, Spectrum 7 Energy Corporation. Bush became Spectrum’s chief executive officer.
The downturn in the energy field continued, however. Spectrum began to falter. In 1986, the struggling firm was taken over by Harken Oil and Gas, Incorporated. The company was later known as Harken Energy Corporation. Bush received Harken stock for his Spectrum shares. He became a member of Harken’s board of directors.
In the late 1980’s, Bush returned to politics. His father, then vice president of the United States, was campaigning for president in the 1988 election. The younger Bush and his family moved to Washington, D.C., to help manage his father’s political campaign. After his father won the election, Bush and his family returned to Texas. They settled in Dallas.
In 1990, Bush sold most of his shares in Harken at a profit. Shortly afterward, the company declared huge losses. The timing of the sale later prompted charges that Bush had known about Harken’s poor financial condition. Bush said he was not aware of the financial difficulties when he sold his shares. An investigation into the matter by the Securities and Exchange Commission ended in 1993 with no charges against Bush.
By the time Bush sold his Harken shares, he had already become involved in a new career. He was a part owner of a baseball team.
Baseball ownership.
In late 1988, Bush learned that the Texas Rangers baseball team was for sale. The American League team was based in the nearby city of Arlington. Bush and a group of investors bought the team in 1989. Bush became a managing general partner. He was an enthusiastic spectator at Ranger games. He worked to promote the team and increase attendance. Bush helped win support for a controversial plan to build a new stadium for the team. He was involved during the planning and construction stages of the new facility. It was called the Ballpark in Arlington (now Rangers Ballpark in Arlington). The stadium opened in April 1994. Later that year, Bush was elected to his first political office. He stepped down from his post with the team.
Governor of Texas
Campaign.
Bush’s father lost his bid for reelection as president and left the White House in 1993. That year, the younger Bush announced his candidacy for governor of Texas. At the same time, his brother Jeb was campaigning for governor of Florida.
Bush’s opponent was Ann W. Richards. Richards was the state’s popular governor. She was seeking a second term. During the campaign, Richards said Bush was running on his family name. Bush made no personal attacks against Richards. Instead, he criticized the governor’s record. He also focused on presenting his conservative views. He supported welfare reform. He called for autonomy (self-government) and increased state funding for public school districts. He stressed a need for stronger criminal laws, particularly against juvenile offenders. He promised reform of the Texas civil justice system. The system was clogged with unimportant lawsuits. Bush won the election by a wide margin, receiving about 54 percent of the vote. His brother lost in Florida.
First term.
As governor, Bush earned high approval ratings. He worked to get legislation passed on his proposed reforms. His lieutenant governor was a Democrat. Democrats also controlled both houses of the Texas Legislature. But Bush became known for achieving success. He used a combination of personal charm and an ability to compromise. The lawmakers enacted legislation that put limits on welfare benefits. They gave local school districts more authority. They also imposed stricter penalties on juvenile criminals and placed limits on civil lawsuits.
In 1997, Bush presented a plan to restructure the Texas tax system and increase state funding for schools. At the time, Texas schools were supported by local property taxes. Bush proposed reducing property taxes and increasing the state’s role in financing education. To make up for the lower property taxes, he called for an increase in the state sales tax. He also proposed a new tax on fees of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals.
Bush’s proposal for new taxes received much criticism, particularly from conservative Republicans. It was not accepted. However, the members of the Legislature did reduce property taxes by increasing the amount of a home’s value that was exempt from taxes. They used surplus funds in the state budget to make up for the decreased property taxes.
Reelection.
Bush’s popularity remained high throughout his term. In 1998, he ran for reelection. He defeated his opponent, Texas Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, by a wide margin. Bush received about 69 percent of the vote. He drew support not only from traditional Republicans but also from the state’s Hispanic Americans, who often voted Democratic. Also in 1998, Bush’s brother Jeb was elected governor of Florida. Jeb Bush was reelected in 2002.
During Bush’s second term, the state increased school funding and continued to adopt educational reforms. The Legislature also approved the largest tax cuts in Texas history. Bush was criticized for not doing more to combat racism, poverty, and pollution.
Bush received national attention. Even before his second term, he was spoken of as a possible candidate for the presidency in 2000.
Election as president
In June 1999, Bush formally announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for president. He faced a number of rivals. They included Elizabeth Dole, former president of the American Red Cross. Also running was newspaper and magazine publisher Steve Forbes. Another candidate was Alan Keyes, a former State Department official. Still other rivals were Arizona Senator John McCain and former Vice President Dan Quayle.
The campaign.
Early in the campaign, critics brought up events from Bush’s past. They questioned why he had been accepted in the Texas Air National Guard before others on a waiting list. They charged that Bush received favorable treatment because his father was a congressman. Bush said that neither he nor his father had sought to influence his selection. Reporters asked Bush if he had used cocaine or other drugs in his youth. Bush did not respond, however.
Senator McCain won the first of the primary elections, in New Hampshire in February 2000. By the time the March primaries ended, however, Bush had won enough delegates to secure the nomination.
At the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia in August 2000, Bush was named the Republican presidential nominee. At Bush’s request, the delegates nominated Richard B. Cheney as their candidate for vice president. Cheney was a former congressman and U.S. secretary of defense. The Democrats nominated Vice President Al Gore for president. Gore chose Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut for vice president. 
The presidential campaign was close and hard-fought. During the campaign, Bush labeled Gore “the candidate of the status quo.” Bush emphasized what he called “compassionate conservatism.” He said the nation’s prosperity must be extended to those still struggling. He pledged to cut taxes. He also promised to strengthen and preserve the nation’s Social Security system. He stressed the need to improve the performance of the public schools. He promised to rebuild the nation’s military strength.
Gore argued that Bush lacked the experience to be president. He said Bush’s proposal to use a federal budget surplus to make up for reduced taxes was risky. Gore also pointed to the danger, under Bush’s plan, that the Social Security and Medicare programs would be left without sufficient funding.
The election of 2000
was one of the tightest presidential contests in U.S. history. The outcome was in doubt for weeks after the election. It depended on which candidate had won Florida. The vote was extremely close in Florida. The state’s election officials conducted a machine recount. After the recount, Bush had more votes than Gore. Gore then asked for recounts by hand in certain Florida counties. Bush challenged in court the need for those recounts. Five weeks after the election, a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States ended the recounts. Bush thus received Florida’s electoral votes and won the presidency. Gore, however, had won the popular vote nationwide. Bush became the 43rd president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2001. See United States presidential election of 2000 .
Bush’s first administration (2001-2005)
Domestic issues.
During the 2000 election campaign, Bush had stressed such issues as the need for education reform and tax cuts. One of his early actions in office was to reject an international environmental agreement. But Bush and the United States soon faced a historic challenge when Islamic extremists launched the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history. The attacks shook the nation’s economy. The attacks also led the government to take steps to protect against future attacks.
Environmental issues.
In March 2001, early in his presidency, Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was an international agreement that calls for limiting the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases contribute to global warming, an increase in the average temperature of Earth’s surface. The administration of President Bill Clinton had supported the agreement. But Bush said the protocol could harm the U.S. economy by restricting the use of fuels in industrial processes. As an alternative, he proposed legislation that would offer companies tax incentives to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases voluntarily. See Kyoto Protocol .
On another issue, Bush supported a controversial proposal to allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He stressed that opening the refuge to oil and gas production would reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Opponents of the drilling argued that it would harm wildlife and their habitat. Bush claimed the drilling could be done without damaging the environment. The proposal did not get congressional approval.
Terrorist attacks and military action.
Bush and the nation faced a crisis on Sept. 11, 2001, when the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history occurred. Terrorists in hijacked jetliners crashed into the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and into the Pentagon Building near Washington, D.C. About 3,000 people died. The World Trade Center towers and part of the Pentagon were destroyed.
The United States soon concluded that Saudi-born millionaire Osama bin Laden and his terrorist organization, al-Qa`ida, had been behind the September 11 attacks. Bin Laden’s headquarters and terrorist training camps were in Afghanistan. Bush called upon the Taliban, the rulers of Afghanistan, to turn over bin Laden. He also demanded that they close down the training camps. The Taliban refused. Meanwhile, Bush worked to form a coalition of countries to wage what he called a “war on terrorism.” In October, the United States and its allies began a military campaign in Afghanistan.
Homeland security.
To improve defense of the United States against future terrorist attacks, Bush created the federal Office of Homeland Security. He appointed Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge to head the office. Ridge resigned as governor and became responsible for overseeing national efforts to protect against and respond to terrorism. In 2002, Bush approved legislation raising the Office of Homeland Security to a Cabinet-level department. The new department—the Department of Homeland Security—began operations in early 2003. Ridge was its head. See Homeland Security, Department of ; Ridge, Tom . 
After the September 11 terrorist attacks, also called 9/11, Bush also called for increased aviation security. Congress passed legislation that gave the federal government a central role in airport security. It required that all workers who screen travelers and baggage in airports be federal employees. Before then, the airports had hired the screeners. The transition to federal employees was completed in November 2002. 
In his State of the Union speech in January 2002, Bush spoke forcefully about the country’s war against terrorism. He said the United States would take action not only against terrorists but also against any hostile nations developing weapons of mass destruction. Weapons of mass destruction are biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. Bush named Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as possible threats to U.S. security. He said that “states like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil.”
Soon after 9/11, the Bush administration faced the difficult issue of how to deal with people suspected of terrorist activities. In some cases, CIA agents working overseas seized terror suspects and flew them to secret CIA-run prisons around the world. Suspects were also transferred to the custody of foreign governments. The practice of sending terror suspects to foreign or secret prisons became known as “extraordinary rendition.”
In January 2002, the first terror suspects began to arrive at a detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Many of the suspects had been captured during the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan. Bush said that the suspected terrorists were “illegal combatants.” They therefore were disqualified from the protections given prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. Some prisoners were tried by military courts. Prisoners thought too dangerous to release were held while the government sought legal ways to prosecute them or hold them indefinitely.
In December 2002, Bush appointed former New Jersey governor Thomas H. Kean to head a commission to investigate the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The commission would investigate whether the attacks could have been prevented and what changes were needed to prevent similar attacks. The commission, which became known as the 9/11 Commission, took over investigations begun by a joint congressional committee in early 2002.
The 9/11 Commission issued its final report in July 2004. The report stressed the need for improved government coordination and cooperation in combating terrorism. The commission recommended that a new post of national intelligence director be created. This official would coordinate the activities of all federal intelligence agencies and oversee a new national counterterrorism center.
In December 2004, Congress passed an intelligence reform act. Bush signed it into law. The act followed the commission’s major recommendations. It included the creation of a post of national intelligence director and a national counterterrorism center.
The U.S. economy
had begun to slow by March 2001. After September 11, unemployment increased and the economy weakened further. Companies hit hardest by the slowdown included many airlines. A number of U.S. airlines faced bankruptcy. After the attacks, they needed to undertake costly overhauls of their security systems. At the same time, their incomes declined sharply because many people were afraid to travel by air. Congress passed a $15-billion package of cash and loan guarantees to support the failing airlines.
The nation’s economic difficulties continued in 2002 and 2003. Bush’s proposals for stimulating economic recovery included tax cuts and aid for unemployed workers. He also asked Congress for wider authority in negotiating trade agreements with other countries. He said increased authority would allow him to speed up the adoption of new agreements. It would thus provide a boost to the economy. Congress approved legislation to carry out Bush’s proposals. However, it passed tax cuts smaller than those requested by Bush.
In late 2003, economic data showed that the economy had begun to improve. However, some economists and political leaders became concerned about the growth of the federal budget deficit. By 2004, the government’s expenditures exceeded income by billions of dollars. Reasons for the deficit included the tax cuts, a slow economy, increased military spending, and increased spending for homeland security.
Campaign finance reform.
In March 2002, Bush signed into law a bill designed to reduce the role of money in political campaigns. The new law called for a ban on unregulated soft money donations. Soft money consists of unlimited contributions to political parties from corporations, unions, and individuals. Supporters of the bill argued that lawmakers who benefited from large donations might have difficulty making unbiased decisions. See Election campaign (Legal changes) .
Corporate wrongdoing.
Enron Corporation, once a leading U.S. energy company, filed for bankruptcy in December 2001. It was one of the largest corporate bankruptcy claims in U.S. history. Investigators began looking into charges that the company had used dishonest accounting practices to hide its financial problems from investors. Many Enron employees and other investors lost large amounts of money as a result of the company’s collapse. See Enron Corporation .
The collapse of Enron Corporation was followed by a series of other corporate failures. Many involved faulty or dishonest accounting practices. For example, in June 2002, WorldCom Inc., a global communications company, filed for bankruptcy. WorldCom announced that it had inflated its earnings by improperly concealing billions of dollars of expenses. These and other instances of corporate wrongdoing damaged confidence in U.S. businesses and stocks. In July, Bush signed into law a corporate reform bill that called for increased punishments for corporate fraud. The new legislation also established an independent board to oversee the accounting industry.
Election reform.
In October 2002, Bush signed legislation aimed at preventing the kinds of difficulties that occurred in Florida during the election of 2000 (see United States election of 2000 ). Bush had emerged the winner of the election but not until after five weeks of recounts and court challenges. The new legislation provided funds for replacing out-of-date voting machines across the country. It also funded the training of election workers and the education of voters.
Medicare overhaul.
In November 2003, Bush signed into law a bill expanding Medicare. Medicare was the nation’s health insurance program for senior citizens. The broad changes included a new benefit to help seniors pay for prescription drugs.
International affairs.
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, led Bush to pursue terrorist groups and their allies in Afghanistan the following month. Bush later used the attacks as part of a justification for invading Iraq in 2003.
Afghanistan.
On Oct. 7, 2001, the United States and its allies began a military campaign in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al-Qa`ida. The campaign included air strikes in support of the Northern Alliance and other Afghan rebel groups who opposed the Taliban. This support enabled the rebels to overthrow the Taliban in December. The United Nations (UN) then brought together representatives of Afghanistan’s leading factions. They agreed on a plan for setting up a new government.
Arms control.
In December 2001, Bush announced U.S. plans to withdraw from the 1972 ABM (antiballistic missile) Treaty. The ABM Treaty was an arms control pact that limited the nation’s use of missile defense systems. It was one of the SALT I agreements. Bush said the United States would abandon the treaty. so the country could develop an antimissile system to protect itself against future attacks (see Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) ). The nation formally withdrew from the treaty on June 13, 2002.
In May 2002, Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty to make large reductions in their countries’ nuclear weapons. The pact required each nation to lower the number of its strategic nuclear warheads by about two-thirds over 10 years. The pact, called the Treaty of Moscow, went into effect in 2003.
Iraq.
In 2002, Bush urged the UN to compel Iraq to destroy any weapons of mass destruction it had. After the Persian Gulf War of 1991, Iraq had agreed to destroy such weapons. But since 1998, Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein had refused to allow UN weapons inspection teams into the country. See Persian Gulf War of 1991 .
Bush charged Hussein’s regime with supporting international terrorist organizations. He said that if the UN failed to force Iraq to disarm, the United States might launch a military attack against the country. In response, Iraq began negotiating conditions for a return of the UN weapons inspectors. Meanwhile, Bush asked Congress to pass a resolution allowing him to authorize the use of military force against Iraq. Congress approved the resolution in October 2002. In November, Iraq agreed to allow the UN to resume weapons inspections. The UN inspectors returned to Iraq.
Later, however, Bush charged that Iraq was resisting disarmament. He asked the UN Security Council to set a deadline for Iraq to disarm. The Council members did not agree on a resolution, however. In early 2003, Bush and the leaders of the United Kingdom and Spain asked the Security Council to pass a resolution approving military action against Iraq. However, key members of the Council refused to approve such action. On March 19 (March 20 in Iraq), a U.S.-led coalition of countries launched a war against Iraq. See Iraq War .
Most Americans supported Bush’s decision to go to war. However, Bush also received much criticism for the decision, especially from outside the United States. Some people argued that the United States had violated international law by invading a nation that did not pose an immediate threat. Bush defended the move by describing it as a preemptive (preventive) action. He said the war was launched to prevent Hussein from supplying weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups. The terrorists might then attack the United States or other countries. Bush also argued that Hussein was a ruthless dictator who should be removed from power. In April 2003, U.S.-led forces seized control of Baghdad, Iraq’s capital. Hussein’s government fell.
On May 1, Bush declared that major combat operations had ended. The Bush administration then turned to the work of helping to rebuild Iraq and of helping the Iraqi people to establish a new government. In May, the Security Council granted the United States and the United Kingdom broad powers to rule Iraq until a new government could be formed. 
Some Iraqis continued to oppose the presence of the U.S.-led forces. U.S. forces became the target of guerrilla-style attacks. The attackers, who included suicide bombers, also targeted Iraqis and international organizations that could be seen as cooperating with U.S. forces.
In December 2003, U.S. soldiers captured Hussein in central Iraq and imprisoned him. The former Iraqi leader had been hiding near Tikrit, his birthplace. In November 2006, an Iraqi court sentenced Hussein to death for crimes against humanity. Hussein was executed by Iraqi authorities on Dec. 30, 2006.
By late 2003, Bush had begun to face significant criticism about the war. United States casualties mounted. No weapons of mass destruction had been found in Iraq. Some critics charged that, before the invasion of Iraq, Bush had used misleading or inaccurate information on Iraq’s weapons programs to justify the war. In February 2004, Bush announced the formation of a commission to examine American intelligence-gathering operations.
In the months that followed, many Iraqis grew increasingly frustrated over the long time required to restore order and to repair basic services and facilities in Iraq. Opposition to the U.S.-led forces became more widespread and violent. Militant groups carried out attacks and demanded withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces.
In May 2004, the Bush administration began investigating reports that U.S. soldiers had abused Iraqi prisoners of war. Photographs taken at Abu Ghraib, a U.S.-run prison in Iraq, supported the claims. The photos showed U.S. soldiers threatening, beating, and humiliating Iraqi prisoners. The photos led to criminal charges against several U.S. soldiers.
The election of 2004.
In September 2004, the Republican Party’s national convention in New York City renominated Bush and Vice President Cheney for a second term. In the November election, Bush and Cheney defeated Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, the Democratic presidential and vice presidential nominees.
Disaster relief.
In December 2004, a powerful undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean created a series of huge ocean waves called a tsunami. The tsunami’s towering waves swept over the coasts of a number of Asian and African countries. About 228,000 people were killed. Millions were left homeless. Bush sent food, equipment, and military personnel to the affected areas. He appointed former presidents Bush and Clinton to head a nationwide fund-raising effort for private contributions. The U.S. government pledged $950 million for tsunami victims.
Bush’s second administration (2005-2009)
Domestic issues.
In February 2005, in his State of the Union address, Bush outlined his goals for his second term. He called for an overhaul of the nation’s Social Security system. He stressed that the United States would continue to fight terrorism and to support democratic governments. He asked Congress to limit domestic spending, He pledged to cut the U.S. budget deficit in half by the end of his presidency.
Loading the player...Excerpt from George W. Bush 2005 inaugural address
Commission report.
In March 2005, the commission formed to examine American intelligence-gathering operations issued its report. The commission was to find out why apparently inaccurate information had been provided to the president about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. The commission’s report criticized the nation’s intelligence agencies. The commission made recommendations for improving intelligence gathering and analysis. Bush endorsed the recommendations and began acting upon them. In June, Bush created a National Security Service within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The National Security Service would specialize in intelligence and other national security matters.
Hurricane Katrina.
In August 2005, the United States suffered one of the worst disasters in its history. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. About 1,800 people died. Officials estimated the damage from the storm to cost about $100 billion. Perceptions that the federal government was slow to react to the disaster contributed to Bush’s lowest approval ratings up to that time, along High gasoline prices and other factors also contributed. Bush pledged the federal government would do “whatever it takes” to rebuild the devastated region, including New Orleans. New Orleans was one of the areas hardest hit by the hurricane and the floods that followed.
Supreme Court.
In September 2005, the U.S. Senate confirmed John G. Roberts, Jr., as chief justice of the United States. Bush had nominated Roberts to replace Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who had died. In October 2005, Bush nominated White House counsel (legal adviser) Harriet Miers to replace Sandra Day O’Connor as a Supreme Court associate justice. O’Connor had said hat she would retire once her replacement was confirmed. Later in October, Miers withdrew her nomination after facing criticism about her qualifications. Bush then named appeals court judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to replace O’Connor. The U.S. Senate confirmed Alito as an associate justice in January 2006.
Immigration.
In December 2005, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would have made immigrating illegally to the United States a felony. The bill also would have made hiring or providing housing to illegal immigrants a crime. It also called for adding additional fencing and Border Patrol agents along the border with Mexico.
During the spring of 2006, opponents of the House bill held large rallies in many U.S. cities. In mid-May, Bush spoke about his immigration plan on national television. Bush’s plan called for the United States to increase border security. The plan would create a temporary guest worker program and issue identification cards to legal foreign workers. Some illegal immigrants would be allowed to take steps toward becoming U.S. citizens. Later in May, the Senate passed a bill that largely followed the Bush plan. However, the House and Senate could not resolve differences between their versions of immigration bills. In October, Bush signed into law a bill to erect a 700-mile (1,100-kilometer) fence along sections of the U.S.-Mexico border.
In his January 2007 State of the Union address, Bush discussed the need for immigration reform. Bush said the nation needed to “uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals.” He urged the United States to fairly resolve the status of illegal immigrants already in the country.
In May 2007, an immigration reform bill that Bush had favored failed in the Senate. The bill would have created a guest worker program. It would have provided funding to improve border security. It also would have established steps for millions of immigrants to attain U.S. citizenship. The measure’s most vocal opponents were Republicans who said their constituents could not support “amnesty for lawbreakers.”
Congressional elections.
In the November 2006 elections, the Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress. Many political experts blamed the defeat on opposition to the Iraq War. The day after the election, Bush announced the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld. Bush said he wanted “a fresh perspective” on the war. Robert Gates, a former head of the CIA, succeeded Rumsfeld in December.
Domestic agenda.
In January 2007, Bush outlined his goals for the last two years of his presidency. He highlighted the indications of a healthy U.S. economy. He asked for Congress’s help to balance the federal budget without raising taxes. He laid out his plans to expand health care coverage and improve educational performance.
Economy.
In late 2007, many economists said the U.S. economy was slowing. Problems in the housing market were a major cause. Construction was down. Housing prices were falling. Many families found their houses in danger of foreclosure—that is, being taken over by a bank because of missed mortgage payments. In January 2008, Bush asked Congress to create a plan to increase economic growth and the creation of jobs. In February 2008, Congress passed a $168-billion economic stimulus package. Bush signed it. Most of the money was scheduled to go to rebates for taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses.
High costs of gasoline became a political issue for Bush during his second term. Oil prices reached record highs partly because of unrest in some oil-producing areas and high worldwide demand. High fuel costs led to higher prices for food and other goods. In 2007, financial experts reported that Americans spent a greater percentage of their income on food, energy, and health care than at any time since 1960.
In July 2008, Congress passed major legislation to ease problems in the nation’s mortgage industry. Bush signed it into law. The law was intended to provide support to the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were private corporations that bought mortgages from banks and other lenders. The law also provided tax breaks and affordable government loans to help homeowners facing foreclosure to keep their homes.
In September, the U.S. government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The corporations had suffered heavy losses in risky mortgages called subprime mortgages. The month also saw the failure or government bailout of several banks and other financial institutions. In October, Congress passed a $700-billion bailout plan for the financial industry. Bush signed the legislation, called the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. The act called for the U.S. Treasury to purchase bad debt from troubled banks and other lenders. Administration officials said they hoped the law would restore confidence in the financial markets. They also hoped the law would make it easier for consumers and businesses to obtain bank loans.
In December, with about a month left in his presidency, Bush announced he had authorized up to $17 billion in emergency loans to troubled U.S. automakers. The loans came from the $700-billion bailout package passed in October. They were intended to keep the carmakers operational during the economic downturn. Bush said companies tapping the loan money would be required to submit plans for restructuring that would ensure their return to profitability. Economists also reported that in December the nation’s unemployment rate had reached 7.2 percent, the highest since the early 1990’s.
Other domestic issues.
In 2006, President Bush established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. The national monument became one of the world’s largest marine conservation areas. In 2007, the area received the Hawaiian name Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. In 2009, Bush announced plans to designate for protection marine areas near the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and other parts of the Pacific Ocean.
In July 2006, Congress passed a bill lifting funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. Such research uses cells from human embryos to replace damaged tissues and treat diseases. Bush vetoed the bill, in the first veto of his presidency. The House failed to override the veto.
In September 2007, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales resigned. Gonzales had drawn controversy over the Bush administration’s use of wiretaps to spy on U.S. citizens without a court warrant. Opponents also accused Gonzales of firing several U.S. attorneys for political reasons. He denied that the firings were political. Michael B. Mukasey, a former U.S. district judge, replaced Gonzales as attorney general in November.
International affairs.
During Bush’s second administration, the United States faced a number of military and diplomatic challenges around the world. One challenge was an increasingly unpopular Iraq War. The country also confronted a growing rebellion in Afghanistan. Another challenge was the prospect of nuclear weapons programs in North Korea and Iran.
Iraq.
The U.S.-led coalition forces remained in Iraq to provide security during Iraq’s transition to a constitutional government. In January 2005, Iraqi voters elected a transitional National Assembly. The Assembly oversaw the preparation of a new constitution. In October, Iraqis approved the constitution in a nationwide referendum (direct vote). In December, Iraqi voters elected a new legislature. Members of the new Council of Representatives took office in March 2006. The council approved a prime minister and Council of Ministers in May. Attacks by militant groups continued against coalition forces and Iraqi police and civilians.
In a nationally televised speech in January 2007, Bush called for more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops to be sent to Iraq. He said the soldiers were needed to help the Iraqi government gain control of Baghdad and Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad. Those two areas had suffered some of Iraq’s most intense conflict. Many Democrats and some Republicans in Congress said Bush’s plan would put strain on the military. They called for the president to bring the troops home.
On May 1, 2007, Bush vetoed a war funding bill passed by the Democratic-led Congress. The veto was the second of his presidency. He objected to the bill’s requirement that he begin withdrawing troops from Iraq later in the year. He called the bill a timetable for failure. A deadline for withdrawal, he said, would take power from U.S. military leaders. It would further destabilize Iraq and the Middle East. Congress sent Bush the bill on May 1. It was the fourth anniversary of the 2003 date on which Bush said major military operations in Iraq had ended. Such Democratic leaders as Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid said the American people expected them to end U.S. involvement in Iraq. Public opinion polls at the time said a majority of Americans favored a withdrawal schedule. Polls also said that most Americans wanted the troops sufficiently funded even if Bush did not accept a timetable.
By June 15, 2007, all of the additional troops—about 30,000—that Bush had requested had arrived in Iraq. The so-called “surge” in troop levels was intended to help the Iraqi government establish long-term security throughout the country.
In March 2008, Bush marked the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. Political instability continued in the country. But administration officials said that casualties for coalition troops, Iraqi security forces, and Iraqi civilians had decreased from levels of the prior year. Later that month, officials reported that 4,000 members of the U.S. military had died since the war started in 2003. According to news reports at the time, about 90,000 Iraqi civilians had been killed during the conflict.
Afghanistan.
United States and coalition forces continued fighting rebels in Afghanistan during Bush’s second administration. By 2005, U.S.-led efforts helped the country hold parliamentary and provincial elections. By 2007, however, officials reported that Taliban- and Qa`ida-backed groups had regained strength. Levels of violence were the highest since coalition troops invaded the country in 2001.
North Korea.
In October 2007, Bush administration officials announced that North Korea had endorsed an agreement that would end the country’s controversial nuclear programs. Six nations—China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States—reached an agreement in Beijing, China. The agreement required the North Koreans to dismantle their nuclear energy and weapons programs by the end of 2007. In exchange, North Korea would receive supplies of fuel oil or other forms of economic aid. Political experts said the agreement represented an important foreign relations victory for the Bush administration. In June 2008, North Korea released further details of its nuclear power and weapons programs. However, the U.S. government had not removed North Korea from its list of countries suspected of sponsoring terrorism. Removing North Korea had been a condition of the 2007 agreement. In September 2008, North Korea began to restart the nuclear work it had halted. In October, the United States removed North Korea from the list of suspected terrorism sponsors. North Korea again halted its nuclear work and allowed international inspectors to visit its reactor sites. Negotiations between the two countries were ongoing.
Iran.
In the early 2000’s, the Bush administration accused Iran of supporting terrorism and seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denied these accusations and said its nuclear activities were only for the purpose of producing electric power. In 2007, a U.S. intelligence report indicated that Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. In defiance of United Nations sanctions, Iran continued the process of uranium enrichment. Enrichment is one of the steps involved in the preparation of uranium for use as a nuclear fuel. In 2008, the United States again accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapons program. The United States also charged that Iran was aiding terrorist groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas.
Other international issues.
In February 2008, Bush traveled to several African countries to highlight U.S. efforts to address poverty, disease, and education there. During his visit, Bush discussed the successes of U.S. aid programs in fighting such diseases as AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. He also asked Congress to provide $30 billion to fund a five-year plan to fight AIDS on the continent.
Later years
In January 2010, an earthquake struck the nation of Haiti in the Caribbean Sea. The quake caused tremendous devastation and thousands of deaths. President Barack Obama involved Bush in disaster relief efforts. Bush joined with former President Bill Clinton to lead a fund-raising effort to aid earthquake victims.
After Bush left the White House, he and his wife lived in Dallas. Bush spent much of his time writing and painting. His memoir, Decision Points, was published in 2010. A biography he wrote of his father, 41: A Portrait of My Father, was published in 2014.
In May 2013, the George W. Bush Presidential Center opened to the public. The center, which stands on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, includes a library, museum, and public policy institute. In 2017, as part of a program to help military veterans make the transition to civilian life, the center held an exhibition of oil paintings Bush had made of veterans. Bush’s book, Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors (2017), includes the paintings and accompanying stories of the veterans’ achievements and the challenges they work to overcome. 
