Career Timeline of George W. Bush: Major Achievements and Milestones

How George W. Bush built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

George W. Bush, the 43rd U.S. President (2001-2009), is a prominent figure in American politics. Son of President George H.W. Bush, he served as the governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. His presidency was largely defined by the September 11th terrorist attacks, which led to the launch of the "War on Terror," including military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Other key policy initiatives included education reform through the "No Child Left Behind Act," tax cuts, and debates surrounding social issues. Bush's administration faced criticism regarding its handling of Hurricane Katrina and the financial crisis of 2008.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

May 1968: Joined U.S. Air Force

In May 1968, George W. Bush joined the United States Air Force and was commissioned into the Texas Air National Guard.

1972: Drilled with Alabama Air National Guard/Suspended From Flying

In 1972, George W. Bush drilled with the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard. He was also suspended from flying for failure to take a scheduled physical exam.

1973: Drilled With the Alabama Air National Guard

In early 1973, George W. Bush drilled with the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard.

1973: Enrolled in Harvard Business School

In the fall of 1973, George W. Bush entered Harvard Business School.

November 21, 1974: Honorably Discharged From Air Force Reserve

On November 21, 1974, George W. Bush was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve.

1975: Graduated Harvard Business School

In 1975, George W. Bush graduated from Harvard Business School with an M.B.A. degree.

1977: Established Arbusto Energy

In 1977, George W. Bush established Arbusto Energy, a small oil exploration company.

1978: Arbusto Energy Operations Begin

In 1978, Arbusto Energy began operations.

1978: Ran for U.S. House of Representatives

In 1978, George W. Bush ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 19th congressional district, but lost to Kent Hance.

1981: Ronald Reagan's Vice President

In 1981, George H.W. Bush became Ronald Reagan's vice president.

1984: Company Merged With Spectrum 7

In 1984, George W. Bush's company merged with Spectrum 7, and he became chairman.

1988: Moved to Washington, D.C. for Father's Campaign

In 1988, George W. Bush and his family moved to Washington, D.C., to work on his father's campaign for the U.S. presidency.

April 1989: Purchased Interest in Texas Rangers

In April 1989, George W. Bush arranged for a group of investors to purchase a controlling interest in the Texas Rangers baseball team and invested himself.

1989: George H. W. Bush as President

In 1989, George H.W. Bush became the 41st president of the United States.

December 1991: Campaign Advisor for Father's Re-election

In December 1991, George W. Bush was named as one of the advisors for his father's 1992 presidential re-election campaign.

1992: Father's Re-election Campaign

In 1992, George W. Bush assisted his father's presidential re-election campaign.

1993: George H. W. Bush Leaves Office

In 1993, George H.W. Bush left office as President of the United States.

1994: Declared Candidacy for Texas Governor

In 1994, George W. Bush declared his candidacy for the Texas gubernatorial election.

1994: Elected Governor of Texas

In 1994, George W. Bush was elected as the governor of Texas.

1995: Governor of Texas

In 1995, George W. Bush became the Governor of Texas.

1998: Won Re-election as Governor

In 1998, George W. Bush won re-election as governor of Texas with a record 68 percent of the vote.

1998: Sold Shares in Texas Rangers

In 1998, George W. Bush's sale of his shares in the Texas Rangers brought him over $15 million.

1999: Signed Renewable Energy Law

In 1999, George W. Bush signed a law that required electric retailers to buy a certain amount of energy from renewable sources.

July 25, 2000: Selected Dick Cheney as Running Mate

On July 25, 2000, George W. Bush selected Dick Cheney as his running mate for the presidential election.

2000: Presidential Campaign

By early 2000, George W. Bush portrayed himself as a compassionate conservative while campaigning for president.

2000: Won the 2000 Presidential Election

In 2000, George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in the presidential election after a contested result ultimately decided by the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore.

2000: End of Texas Governorship

In 2000, George W. Bush's time as the Governor of Texas concluded.

2000: Considered Potential Presidential Candidate

Throughout George W. Bush's first term as Texas Governor, he was the focus of national attention as a potential future presidential candidate. After re-election, speculation soared, and within a year he decided to seek the 2000 Republican presidential nomination.

April 2001: U.S. Support for Taiwan Defense

In April 2001, George W. Bush expressed U.S. support for the defense of Taiwan following the stand-off with China over the Hainan Island incident.

May 2001: Executive Orders to Streamline Energy Projects and Tackle Environmental Issues

In May 2001, George W. Bush signed an executive order to create an interagency task force to streamline energy projects, and later signed two other executive orders to tackle environmental issues.

August 9, 2001: Executive order on stem cell funding

On August 9, 2001, President Bush signed an executive order that lifted the ban on federal funding for the 71 existing "lines" of stem cells. The ability of these existing lines to provide an adequate medium for testing has been questioned.

September 11, 2001: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks occurred.

October 7, 2001: Start of Bombing Campaigns in Afghanistan

On October 7, 2001, U.S. and British forces initiated bombing campaigns in Afghanistan, leading to the arrival of Northern Alliance troops in Kabul on November 13.

December 2001: Taliban Defeated

In December 2001, the Pentagon reported that the Taliban had been defeated in Afghanistan, but cautioned that the war would continue to weaken Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders.

2001: Condoleezza Rice served as national security advisor.

In 2001, Condoleezza Rice began serving as Bush's national security advisor.

2001: President of the United States

In 2001, George W. Bush became the 43rd President of the United States.

2001: Bush Proposes Tax Cut Program

In 2001, George W. Bush proposed a $1.35 trillion tax cut program, arguing that surplus government funds should be returned to taxpayers. Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan warned of a recession.

January 29, 2002: State of the Union Address: Axis of Evil

In his January 29, 2002 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush asserted that an "axis of evil" consisting of North Korea, Iran, and Ba'athist Iraq was "arming to threaten the peace of the world" and "pose[d] a grave and growing danger".

November 2002: UN Weapons Inspectors in Iraq

In November 2002, Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei led UN weapons inspectors in Iraq. The U.S. advised them to depart four days prior to the U.S. invasion, despite their requests for more time.

2002: No Child Left Behind Act Signed Into Law

In early 2002, George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act into law, aiming to measure and close the gap between rich and poor student performance and target more federal funding to low-income schools. The act passed with broad bipartisan support.

January 2003: State of the Union Address

In the State of the Union address in January 2003, President Bush outlined a five-year strategy for global emergency AIDS relief, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

March 20, 2003: Invasion of Iraq

On March 20, 2003, the United States, along with the "coalition of the willing" including the United Kingdom, launched the invasion of Iraq.

April 9, 2003: Fall of Baghdad

On April 9, 2003, the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, fell to U.S. forces.

2003: Another Tax Cut Passed

By 2003, the economy showed signs of improvement under George W. Bush, and another tax cut was passed.

2003: Medicare Act Signed

Following Republican efforts, George W. Bush signed the Medicare Act of 2003, which included major changes to the Medicare program by providing beneficiaries with assistance in paying for prescription drugs.

2003: Initiated AIDS Relief Plan and Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, Bush initiated the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and ordered the invasion of Iraq based on claims that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs and had ties to al-Qaeda.

2004: Bush's Re-election Campaign Strategy

In 2004, George W. Bush sought re-election with broad Republican support, appointing Ken Mehlman as campaign manager and Karl Rove devising the political strategy. The campaign emphasized the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the USA PATRIOT Act, constitutional amendments against abortion and same-sex marriage, Social Security reform, and opposition to mandatory carbon emissions controls. Bush also proposed a guest worker program for immigrants, which drew criticism.

2004: Re-elected President

In 2004, George W. Bush was re-elected as president, defeating John Kerry.

2004: CIA Leadership Change and Allegations

In 2004, after CIA director George Tenet resigned, George W. Bush nominated Porter Goss to lead the agency. The White House instructed Goss to purge officers deemed disloyal. Many senior CIA agents were subsequently fired or quit. The CIA faced accusations of leaking classified information to undermine the 2004 election.

January 2005: Elections in Iraq

In January 2005, Iraq held elections, recognized by the West as free and fair, for the first time in 50 years.

June 2005: Released Air National Guard Records

In June 2005, the Department of Defense released all of George W. Bush's Texas Air National Guard service records.

July 19, 2005: Bush Nominates John Roberts

On July 19, 2005, President Bush nominated federal appellate judge John Roberts to replace Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who retired on July 1.

September 29, 2005: Roberts Confirmed as Chief Justice

On September 29, 2005, John Roberts was confirmed by the Senate as the next Chief Justice of the United States after Bush withdrew his initial nomination and renominated Roberts following the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

October 3, 2005: Bush Nominates Harriet Miers

On October 3, 2005, President Bush nominated White House Counsel Harriet Miers to succeed Sandra Day O'Connor as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

October 2005: Referendum to Approve Constitution in Iraq

In October 2005, a referendum to approve a constitution in Iraq was held, supported by most Shiites and many Kurds.

November 1, 2005: National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Launched

On November 1, 2005, George W. Bush launched a National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.

2005: Condoleezza Rice served as secretary of state.

In 2005, Condoleezza Rice began serving as Bush's secretary of state.

January 31, 2006: Alito Confirmed to Supreme Court

On January 31, 2006, Samuel Alito was confirmed by the Senate to replace Sandra Day O'Connor as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, after Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination.

March 2006: Visit to India

In March 2006, George W. Bush visited India, focusing on areas of nuclear energy, counter-terrorism cooperation, and discussions that would eventually lead to the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement.

May 2006: Implementation Plan for Pandemic Influenza Published

In May 2006, the Homeland Security Council published an implementation plan for the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.

October 9, 2006: North Korea Nuclear Detonation

On October 9, 2006, North Korea's detonation of a nuclear device complicated President Bush's foreign policy.

October 17, 2006: Signing of the Military Commissions Act of 2006

On October 17, 2006, President Bush signed the Military Commissions Act of 2006 into law, allowing the U.S. government to prosecute unlawful enemy combatants by military commission and denying detainees access to habeas corpus.

2006: Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Declared National Monument

In 2006, George W. Bush declared the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a national monument, creating the largest marine reserve to date, called the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

2006: Urging Congress to Allow Illegal Immigrants to Work in the U.S.

In 2006, George W. Bush urged Congress to allow more than twelve million illegal immigrants to work in the United States with the creation of a "temporary guest-worker program".

2006: America is Addicted to Oil

In his 2006 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush declared, "America is addicted to oil" and launched his Advanced Energy Initiative to increase energy development research.

January 10, 2007: Troop Surge in Iraq

On January 10, 2007, President Bush announced a surge of 21,500 additional troops to Iraq, along with job programs and reconstruction proposals costing $1.2 billion.

May 1, 2007: Veto of Troop Withdrawal Deadline

On May 1, 2007, President Bush vetoed a bill that would have set a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

May 7, 2007: North Korea Agrees to Shut Down Nuclear Reactors

On May 7, 2007, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear reactors immediately pending the release of frozen funds held in a foreign bank account, as a result of three-way talks initiated by the United States and including China.

June 10, 2007: Visit to Albania

On June 10, 2007, George W. Bush met with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and became the first president to visit Albania. He later voiced his support for the independence of Kosovo.

June 2007: Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act

From May to June 2007, George W. Bush strongly supported the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, which was written by a bipartisan group of senators with the active participation of the Bush administration.

June 28, 2007: Defeat of Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act in Senate

On June 28, 2007, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act was defeated in the Senate. Bush expressed disappointment upon the defeat of one of his signature domestic initiatives.

September 2, 2007: North Korea Agrees to Disclose and Dismantle Nuclear Programs

On September 2, 2007, North Korea agreed to disclose and dismantle all its nuclear programs by the end of 2007.

November 2007: Treasury Department Freezes Assets

In November 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department froze the assets of two Lebanese and two Syrians, accusing them of activities to "undermine the legitimate political process in Lebanon".

2007: State of the Union Address: Renewable Energy Pledge

In his 2007 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush renewed his pledge to diminish reliance on foreign oil by reducing fossil fuel consumption and increasing alternative fuel production.

March 8, 2008: Veto of H.R. 2082

On March 8, 2008, President Bush vetoed H.R. 2082, a bill that would have expanded congressional oversight over the intelligence community and banned the use of waterboarding.

March 2008: Praise for Iraqi Government's Decision in Basra

In March 2008, President Bush praised the Iraqi government's "bold decision" to launch the Battle of Basra against the Mahdi Army.

May 21, 2008: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Signed Into Law

On May 21, 2008, George W. Bush signed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act into law, designed to protect Americans against health insurance and employment discrimination based on genetic information.

June 2008: Call to Congress for Domestic Oil Production

In June 2008, George W. Bush stated that the solution to reduce demand for oil is to promote alternative energy technologies, and called on Congress to expand domestic oil production.

July 2008: Withdrawal of American Forces

By July 2008, American troop deaths had reached their lowest number since the war began, and due to increased stability in Iraq, Bush initiated the withdrawal of additional American forces.

2008: State of the Union Address: International Clean Energy Fund

In his 2008 State of the Union Address, George W. Bush committed $2 billion over the next three years to a new international fund to promote clean energy technologies and combat climate change.

2009: End of Rice's term as Secretary of State

In 2009, Condoleezza Rice's term as Bush's Secretary of State ended.

2009: End of Presidential Term

In 2009, George W. Bush concluded his term as the 43rd President of the United States.

January 2010: Establishment of Clinton Bush Haiti Fund

In January 2010, at President Obama's request, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton established the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to raise contributions for relief and recovery efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

May 2, 2011: Obama Informed Bush of Bin Laden's Death

On May 2, 2011, President Obama called George W. Bush, who was at a restaurant with his wife, to inform him that Osama bin Laden had been killed.

2011: Disagreement with Obama's Iraq troop withdrawal

In 2011, George W. Bush vocally disagreed with President Obama's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, referring to it as a "strategic blunder".

2014: Forum on Education and Health

In 2014, alongside the United States–Africa Leaders Summit, George W. Bush, Michelle Obama, the State Department, and the George W. Bush Institute hosted a daylong forum on education and health with the spouses of the African leaders attending the summit. Bush urged African leaders to avoid discriminatory laws that make the treatment of HIV/AIDS more difficult.

June 12, 2015: Remarks on defeating ISIS

On June 12, 2015, in an interview with Israel Hayom magazine, George W. Bush stated that "boots on the ground" would be needed to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

2016: Refusal to endorse Trump

In 2016, George W. Bush did not endorse Donald Trump for president and did not attend the Republican National Convention. He reportedly expressed concern about the direction of the Republican Party and did not vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton in the general election.

February 2017: Release of "Portraits of Courage"

In February 2017, George W. Bush released "Portraits of Courage", a book of portraits of veterans. The net proceeds from the book were donated to the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors

Check it on Amazon

September 7, 2017: Partnership with former presidents for Hurricane relief

On September 7, 2017, George W. Bush partnered with former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama to work with One America Appeal to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in the Gulf Coast and Texas communities.

July 14, 2021: Reaffirmation of opposition to troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

During an interview with Deutsche Welle on July 14, 2021, George W. Bush reaffirmed his opposition to President Biden's withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, calling the plan "a mistake".