Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to George W. Bush

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving George W. Bush.

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

September 4, 1976: Arrested for DUI

On September 4, 1976, George W. Bush was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Kennebunkport, Maine, and was subsequently fined and had his license suspended.

June 10, 2000: Jesus Day in Texas

On June 10, 2000, George W. Bush proclaimed it to be Jesus Day in Texas.

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: Federal Government Spending and Revenues

In 2000, federal government spending was $1.789 trillion and revenues were $2.025 trillion.

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.

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.

2001: Opposition to the Kyoto Protocol

Upon taking office in 2001, George W. Bush stated his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol, citing its exemption of 80% of the world's population and high costs.

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".

2002: Bush Proposed the Clear Skies Act

In 2002, George W. Bush proposed the Clear Skies Act of 2003, which aimed at amending the Clean Air Act to reduce air pollution through the use of emissions trading programs.

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.

2003: Increased Regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

In 2003, the Bush administration pushed for increased regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but the regulations, after passing the House, died in the Senate.

2003: Clear Skies Act Introduced to Congress

In 2003, the Clear Skies Act was introduced to Congress, but failed to make it out of committee.

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.

2005: Campaigning for Social Security Reform

In 2005, George W. Bush embarked on a national tour, campaigning for his Social Security reform initiative. However, public support declined, and the proposal's prospects were further diminished by the response to Hurricane Katrina.

2005: Bush Outlines Social Security Reform Initiative

In 2005, George W. Bush outlined a major initiative to reform Social Security, which was facing record deficit projections, including partial privatization and personal Social Security accounts. Democrats opposed the proposal.

March 2006: Obama's Debt Ceiling Remarks

In March 2006, then-Senator Barack Obama criticized raising the debt limit as a "sign of leadership failure."

July 19, 2006: Veto of Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act

On July 19, 2006, President Bush used his veto power for the first time in his presidency to veto the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The bill would have repealed the Dickey–Wicker Amendment, permitting federal money to be used for research where stem cells are derived from the destruction of an embryo.

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: 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: Unfavorable Opinion

In 2006, most respondents in 18 of 21 countries surveyed around the world were found to hold an unfavorable opinion of Bush, with respondents indicating they judged his administration as negative for world security.

2006: Iraq Study Group Report

In 2006, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, led by James Baker, concluded that the situation in Iraq was "grave and deteriorating".

January 17, 2007: End of President's Surveillance Program

On January 17, 2007, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales informed U.S. Senate leaders that the President's Surveillance Program would not be reauthorized, but would be subjected to judicial oversight.

March 2007: Most Disliked World Leader

A March 2007 survey of public opinion in six Arab nations conducted by Zogby International and the University of Maryland found that Bush was the most disliked world leader.

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.

July 6, 2007: Ruling Vacated on NSA Surveillance Program

On July 6, 2007, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated the ruling that the NSA electronic surveillance program was unconstitutional, on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked standing.

2007: Bush Vetoed State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Legislation

In 2007, George W. Bush opposed and vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation, viewing it as a move toward socialized healthcare, even though the bill was to expand federally funded healthcare benefits to children of some low-income families.

2007: US Enters Longest Post-World War II Recession

In 2007, the United States entered the longest post-World War II recession. During George W. Bush's presidency, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, alongside debates on immigration, healthcare, Social Security, economic policy, and treatment of terrorist detainees significantly altered his domestic agenda.

February 2008: Torching of U.S. Embassy in Belgrade

In February 2008, the U.S. embassy in Belgrade was torched, stemming from troubled U.S. relations with Serbia due to the Bush administration's support for the unilateral declaration of independence of Albanian-majority Kosovo.

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 10, 2008: Congress Files Lawsuit to Enforce Subpoenas

On March 10, 2008, the Congress filed a federal lawsuit to enforce their issued subpoenas regarding the U.S. Attorney firings.

June 9, 2008: Impeachment Articles Introduced

On June 9, 2008, Representative Dennis Kucinich introduced 35 articles of impeachment against President Bush on the floor of the House of Representatives.

July 31, 2008: Court Ruling on Congressional Subpoenas

On July 31, 2008, a United States district court judge ruled that President Bush's top advisers were not immune from congressional subpoenas related to the U.S. Attorney firings.

September 2008: Financial Crisis Intensified

In September 2008, the 2008 financial crisis intensified with the federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, and a federal bailout of American International Group (AIG) for $85 billion.

October 2008: U.S. National Debt Rose to $11.3 Trillion

By October 2008, the U.S. national debt had risen to $11.3 trillion, doubling since 2000, due to tax cuts and increased national security spending.

December 2008: Shoe-throwing Incident

During President Bush's last visit to Iraq in December 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoes at him during a press conference.

2008: Increase in Federal Spending and Revenue

By 2008, the end of Bush's term, federal government spending increased to $2.983 trillion and revenues increased to $2.524 trillion. Discretionary defense spending increased by 107%, while discretionary domestic spending increased by 62%.

2008: Handling of the 2008 Financial Crisis

Critics often point to George W. Bush's handling of the 2008 financial crisis, as proof that he was unfit to be president.

March 2010: Report on False Pretenses

In March 2010, the Center for Public Integrity released a report stating that President Bush's administration had made over 900 false claims over a two-year period about the threat of Iraq.

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".

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.

June 1, 2020: Statement on George Floyd's Murder

On June 1, 2020, George W. Bush released a statement addressing the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide reaction and protests, expressing anguish and concern over racial injustices.

2020: Non-endorsement in the 2020 presidential election

During the 2020 presidential election, George W. Bush did not give any endorsements, but held a virtual fundraiser for U.S. senators Susan Collins, Cory Gardner, Martha McSally, and Thom Tillis. He also did not attend the 2020 Republican National Convention where President Trump was re-nominated.

January 6, 2021: Denouncement of U.S. Capitol Attack

On January 6, 2021, following the U.S. Capitol attack, George W. Bush denounced the violence, comparing it to how election results are disputed in a banana republic.

April 2021: Bush Wrote in Condoleezza Rice on the Ballot

In April 2021, George W. Bush told People magazine that he did not vote for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the general election. Instead, he wrote in Condoleezza Rice, who served as his national security advisor from 2001 to 2005 and as his secretary of state from 2005 to 2009.

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".