Surprising Hidden Talents of 10 U.S. Presidents

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When we think of U.S. Presidents, we often think of them as leaders and diplomats. What we don’t often see are the talents they possess beyond the requirements of commander in chief. There are exceptions, of course, especially in recent decades, what with the proliferation of cameras and social media. We’ve seen, for example, Bill Clinton playing saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show; we’ve witnessed George W. Bush’s well-publicized foray into oil painting; and we’ve gotten glimpses of Barack Obama’s fondness for crooning. But, through much of history, the American public has been largely unaware of the non-job-related abilities of its Presidents. Here are some of the surprising hidden talents U.S. Presidents have quietly possessed, from ballroom dancing to swimming.

George Washington

The first President of the United States was, by all accounts, a fantastic dancer. He became an accomplished ballroom dancer in his teens, and honed his skills as a young officer. Eight years after George Washington’s death, John Adams noted in a letter how the former President possessed an “elegant Form” and “graceful Attitudes and Movement.”

Thomas Jefferson

As well as being the third U.S. President and author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was a highly accomplished (and self-taught) architect. Among his most notable designs are his own home at Monticello, the Virginia State Capitol, and the University of Virginia. The founding father was also an inventor whose innovations included a wheel cipher for coded messages, a moldboard plow to till soil, and a macaroni machine.

James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield was ambidextrous and multilingual. Legend has it he could write with both hands at once, writing Greek in one hand and Latin in the other. He also became the first American presidential candidate to deliver a campaign speech in a language other than English, when he noticed a large group of German Americans in a crowd and addressed them in their native tongue.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

By the time Dwight D. Eisenhower graduated from West Point in 1915, his poker game was razor-sharp. He only improved from there, until he began to feel bad for taking everyone’s money — at which point he quit playing out of a sense of honor. Eisenhower took up bridge instead and excelled at that, too. While stationed in the Philippines, he began playing bridge regularly against President Manuel Quezon, and earned himself the nickname the “bridge wizard of Manila.”

Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon, like Eisenhower, was an exceptional poker player. While serving overseas as a U.S. Navy lieutenant, he became a proper card shark, winning thousands of dollars by the time he returned home — enough money to fund his first run for political office. Nixon was also one of the most musically accomplished Presidents. He played five instruments: saxophone, clarinet, accordion, violin, and piano.

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Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford was a star football player at the University of Michigan and was named the team’s MVP in his final year in 1934. He was so good that he received contract offers from the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, but he turned them down to go to law school. Ford was also a fashion model in his 20s, making it onto the cover of Cosmopolitan in 1942, albeit in illustrated form.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter’s artistic output is truly impressive. He took up painting in the 1980s and has since painted more than 100 works, many of which have been auctioned off for charity. He’s also a skilled woodworker, a winemaker, and the author of 32 books on everything from women’s rights to hunting and fishing.

Ronald Reagan

It’s well known that Ronald Reagan was a famous actor, appearing in more than 50 movies before he became President. But before he became a film star, Reagan was a lifeguard and an excellent swimmer. During his time working as a lifeguard at Lowell Park beach in Dixon, Illinois, the future President reportedly rescued 77 people from the water.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton is a skilled crossword puzzle solver. He can reportedly complete the New York Times crossword in a few minutes, while simultaneously speaking with political leaders on the phone. In 2007, he even wrote the clues for a Times crossword, filled with puns, pop culture references, and clever wordplay.

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Barack Obama

In 2008, a reporter asked Barack Obama if he had any hidden talents. His answer was that he considers himself “a pretty good poker player.” Like Eisenhower and Nixon, Obama is supposedly a card shark — although we largely have to take his word for it. What we definitely know about Obama is that he’s a talented speaker, for which we have plenty of proof. While still a U.S. senator, he won two Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album for the audiobook reading of his memoirs, Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope. In 2022, he also won an Emmy for his narration on the Netflix documentary series Our Great National Parks.