Skip Content
U.S. Flag
  
  

Senators Who Became President


To date, 17 senators have also served as president of the United States. Three senators, Warren G. Harding, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama moved directly from the U.S. Senate to the White House.

NameYears as SenatorYears as President
MonroeJames Monroe (VA) 1790–1794 1817–1825
AdamsJohn Quincy Adams (MA) 1803–1808 1825–1829
JacksonAndrew Jackson (TN) 1797–1798; 1823–1825 1829–1837
Van BurenMartin Van Buren (NY) 1821–1828 1837–1841
HarrisonWilliam H. Harrison (OH) 1825–1828 1841
TylerJohn Tyler (VA) 1827–1836 1841–1845
PierceFranklin Pierce (NH) 1837–1842 1853–1857
BuchananJames Buchanan (PA) 1834–1845 1857–1861
JohnsonAndrew Johnson (TN) 1857–1862; 1875 1865–1869
HarrisonBenjamin Harrison (IN) 1881–1887 1889–1893
HardingWarren G. Harding (OH) 1915–1921 1921–1923
TrumanHarry S. Truman (MO) 1935–1945 1945–1953
KennedyJohn F. Kennedy (MA) 1953–1960 1961–1963
JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson (TX) 1949–1961 1963–1969
NixonRichard M. Nixon (CA) 1950–1953 1969–1974
ObamaBarack Obama (IL) 2005–2008 2009–2017
BidenJoe Biden (DE) 1973–2009 2021–present
[an error occurred while processing this directive]