FROM POVERTY TO POWER AND PROFIT? HOW THE WHITE HOUSE CHANGED PRESIDENTS’ FORTUNES
The Oval Office has long been seen as a seat of power but history shows it can also be a path to riches or ruin. A striking look at U.S. presidents’ net worth before and after leaving office reveals dramatic rises, shocking falls, and a few fortunes left untouched.
Early presidents like Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and Ulysses S. Grant left office financially battered, with once-wealthy men ending up nearly broke. Abraham Lincoln, by contrast, died with little, gaining only modestly during his time in office.
In the modern era, the story flips. Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan all saw their wealth surge after the presidency. The biggest winners? Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, who went from modest means to tens of millions, fueled by book deals and speaking fees.
At the extremes sit John F. Kennedy, already a billionaire, and Donald Trump, whose fortune dipped slightly. One thing is clear: for many presidents, the real payday begins after leaving the White House.