Rules Ex-Presidents Have to Follow After Leaving the White House

As much as they may want to simply step back into a casual lifestyle, it is not easy going back to everyday life when you were the US president just a few days ago. What previous presidents aren’t allowed to do and the privileges that come with that particular retirement plan are laid out in this article. So, if you are curious about these fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) rules, we encourage you to keep reading!

However, life beyond the White House was not always easy for the nation’s most prominent officials. After leaving the white house, Harry Truman was practically bankrupt and dependent on his small military pension from World War I. This was partially due to his wish not to monetize his old position by taking advantage of the numerous job offers he received. The Former Presidents Act was enacted in response to Truman’s financial difficulties.

There are no restrictions on a pension being provided to previous presidents who resigned from the position, such as Richard Nixon. However, the pension fund, which is funded by taxpayers, does not pay out to those who are ousted from office through impeachment.

The security detail includes not only the former president and his or her spouse but also their children up to the age of sixteen. Ex-presidents can choose whether or not to take advantage of this benefit. Famously, Richard Nixon decided to take things into his own hands 11 years after he stepped down, terminating his Secret Service protection.

Secret Service agents proficient in evasive driving techniques are used to transport previous presidents and vice presidents who have permanent Secret Service protection. It was reported in 2017 that George W. Bush has not driven on public roads in more than two decades.

It is entirely up to the current president whether or not a previous president will be permitted to join the briefings, which will contain sensitive information regarding internal and international circumstances. It is only fair that the sitting president has a say on this matter.

As of 2014, this regulation has been expanded to include any electronic communications relating to official business as well. This is why presidents are not allowed to use private email accounts when conducting official business. This may be distressing, as it may appear as though there is no longer any privacy. However, it is a safeguard for preventing corruption. 

This implies that presidents who only served one term and have never worked in the federal government before, such as Donald Trump, will be responsible for their own healthcare insurance after they leave the service. They won’t be guaranteed free health insurance. Instead, they will have to pay for it out of their own pocket.

Imagine you’re at your home tonight and four strangers walk up and stand about in your kitchen – this is how Wackrow describes the Secret Service detail. As previously stated, an ex-president has the option of rejecting his permanent security detail and regaining some privacy. However, doing so would entail a significant amount of risk.

As a result of Franklin Roosevelt’s unusual third and fourth terms in office (held in 1940 and 1944, respectively), this law was passed. It does not apply to presidents who only served one term, which means Donald Trump is free to seek re-election in 2024 if he desires.

Thus, it only makes sense that former two-term presidents should be prohibited from taking that job. The closest someone can get to 16 years in the White House today is to serve as vice president for two terms before serving as president for two terms.

Presidents and previous presidents must have their electronic communications equipment, including mobile phones, approved by the Secret Service before using them. Therefore, if a former president wants to get a new model of mobile phone, they must first consult with their security team.

However, as soon as the presidency is over, they are subject to the same legal restrictions as any other citizen. People who have committed crimes are unlikely to be pardoned unless they have a big buddy in the White House, as Richard Nixon had during Gerald Ford’s administration.

Under Richard Nixon’s leadership in 1969, the federal government purchased this four-story townhouse and turned it into a stately residence for former presidents. There are specially designated chambers in the basement for a Secret Service detail, which is one of the many reasons it is a good choice for previous presidents.

As a reference, the average term of retirement for other citizens is approximately 18 years. Jimmy Carter has the longest post-presidential life span to date, approaching 40 years in 2021, whereas James K. Polk has the smallest post-presidential life span, lasting only 103 days after his tenure ended in 1849.

Upon their exit from office, taxpayers only provide them with $96,000 a year to cover the costs of their employees. After leaving the White House, Barack Obama said he missed the “camaraderie” of his White House staff during an interview with Prince Harry on the BBC in 2018.

Former presidents and their spouses receive $1 million and $500,000 respectively in taxpayer-funded cash each year for travel. All previous presidents possess diplomatic passports, which allow them to travel internationally without paying fees or dealing with the frustrating bureaucracy that comes with a regular passport.

A president has the authority to declassify and share whatever government material they like while in office without fear of being prosecuted or otherwise penalized. On the other hand, ex-presidents are prohibited from releasing any confidential info that they personally didn’t publicly disclose when they were in the White House.

From 2001 to 2012, Bill Clinton made more than $75 million in speeches and received a $15 million payment for his biography. Clinton declared in 2010 that he had never had money until elected to office. He also added that he had been doing really well since then.

Of course, not everyone abides by this unspoken rule. Several ex-presidents have publicly denounced the policies of the ruling administration. Presidents who have publicly taken a jab at their successors include Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Theodore Roosevelt.

All mail of ex-presidents is screened at a secure location away from their house to ensure their privacy and security. This includes letters, notes, bills, and packages. Because of this, no former president will ever be able to surprise their favorite agent with a birthday gift purchased online.

Obama claimed this was one of the most challenging transitions he had to deal with when he left office in 2017. The former president claimed that he was not used to encountering traffic. In fact, in the past, he was the one to cause traffic, much to the distress of those trying to get to work in the destinations he visited.

Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush billed more than $440,000 for their rentals in 2018 alone, which is more than any living ex-president. They make Jimmy Carter’s $112,000 yearly office rental seem economical by comparison.

This was several years after he pushed to establish the National Archives Act in 1934.  As a result, every previous president has developed their own presidential library. This is a formality that is as much about bookkeeping as it is about honoring their legacy.

In order to get this small and very reasonable income, the spouse must give up any other pensions or annuities they may have. As a result of this restriction, once their spouses died, neither Nancy Reagan nor Betty Ford took their annual payouts. The $20,000 figure is just too small.

Former President Barack Obama stated that he appreciated the freedom to decide how he wanted to spend each day once he stepped down from office. In 2018, he said that it’s nice to be able to control your day in a way that you just can’t do as president. He certainly does seem a lot more relaxed nowadays.

Frequently, these funeral ceremonies are global gatherings of sorrow that are packed with lavish ceremonies and displays of veneration. The US military has a 138-page document that outlines the required processes for presidential funerals. It includes details such as the procession’s maximum pace, the guards’ footsteps, and flower arrangements, to mention just a few of the many elements that are covered.

In many respects, funerals serve as a final opportunity for the deceased to communicate to the country and express their ultimate desires. A person who writes their will early is typical, but arranging your own funeral when you first enter the Oval Office must be an odd feeling.

While the government is compelled to get a warrant before conducting any kind of surveillance on its own people, it is not needed to do so for past presidents on the grounds that they must be protected from external dangers.

Secret Service officers have to survey the area, and this may take days or even months. Also, keep in mind that this will be the case throughout their lives as former presidents. So, when it comes to being president, there’s no room for spontaneity.

This transitional payment is funded by the federal government up to a maximum of $900,000. It helps former presidents find new office space, pay their staff, and arrange other services related to the presidential transition.

As you might expect, the acting president also needs to live by a slew of peculiar regulations, some of which are stranger than those applied to former presidents. Being the head of the United States is not your average job.

The incumbent president cannot attend any school athletic activities or concerts since it would involve too much planning and be disruptive for the other guests. It might even put presidents and their families at risk.

During his time in office, former President Obama made a dash to Starbucks, which led to the Secret Service shutting off a portion of the street and directing pedestrians away. This also happens whenever the incumbent president wishes to dine at a restaurant.

Of course, this is also the case when the president’s term has come to an end. They are more than obliged to pay for their home’s mortgage and other obligations, such as energy, water, and internet expenses. 

Secret Service agents’ recommendations are expected to be followed by the president, although they are only recommendations. In the end, the president has an ultimate say in everything, and the Secret Service has to adhere to that, no matter how risky or foolish it may be.