The number of vetoes by the US Presidents can be seen in the graph above. Throughout American history, presidents have exercised the power of the veto to reject legislation passed by Congress. The frequency and number of vetoes have varied widely depending on the president and the political climate of the time.
George Washington, the first president of the United States, exercised the veto power only twice during his eight-year presidency.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served as president during the Great Depression and World War II, vetoed a total of 635 bills during his 12 years in office, the highest number in U.S. history.
Barack Obama vetoed a total of 12 bills during his eight-year presidency, while his successor, Donald Trump, vetoed a total of 9 bills during his four-year presidency.
In conclusion, the number of vetoes exercised by U.S. presidents has varied widely throughout American history. With some presidents using the veto power sparingly and others using it more aggressively. The frequency of presidential vetoes has often reflected the political climate and the president’s relationship with Congress, and the power of the veto remains an important tool in the president’s arsenal.
Number of Vetoes:
George Washington: 2
John Adams: 0
Thomas Jefferson: 0
James Madison: 7
James Monroe: 1
John Quincy Adams: 0
Andrew Jackson: 12
Martin Van Buren: 1
William Henry Harrison: 0
John Tyler: 10
James Polk: 3
Zachary Taylor: 0
Millard Fillmore: 0
Franklin Pierce: 9
James Buchanan: 7
Abraham Lincoln: 7
Andrew Johnson: 29
Ulysses Grant: 93
Rutherford Hayes: 13
James Garfield: 0
Chester Arthur: 12
Grover Cleveland: 414
Benjamin Harrison: 44
Grover Cleveland: 170
William McKinley: 42
Theodore Roosevelt: 71
William Taft: 39
Woodrow Wilson: 44
Warren Harding: 6
Calvin Coolidge: 50
Herbert Hoover: 37
Franklin Roosevelt: 635
Harry Truman: 250
Dwight Eisenhower: 181
John Kennedy: 21
Lyndon Johnson: 30
Richard Nixon: 43
Gerald Ford: 66
Jimmy Carter: 31
Ronald Reagan: 78
George Bush: 44
Bill Clinton: 37
George Bush: 12
Barak Obama:12
Donald Trump: 9
Joe Biden: 2
