The presidency is the highest office an individual can hold in the United States.
Though that’s the same for everyone who earns a spot in the Oval Office, each presidency is unique, and some presidents have even set records during their time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Shortest term
William Henry Harrison has the record for the shortest term in office. Inaugurated on March 4, 1841, at the age of 68, Harrison served for just 31 days. He was the oldest man elected president at the time, and he died from pneumonia shortly after winning the election. Historians believe Harrison perished from the illness after delivering a two-hour inaugural address in the freezing weather without a coat. James A. Garfield has the second shortest term, as he was in office only 199 days before dying from complications after being shot.
Longest term
Franklin D. Roosevelt spent more time in office than any other American president. FDR was elected four times, beginning in 1933. Roosevelt’s lengthy time in office contributed to the ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951, which established term limits that limited presidents to two four-year terms.
Youngest president
Theodore Roosevelt had the honor of being the youngest president to take office. He assumed the presidency in 1901 following the assassination of William McKinley. Roosevelt was 42 years and 322 days old at the time. However, John F. Kennedy holds the record for the youngest person to ever be elected president. Kennedy was just 43 years and 236 days old at the time of his inauguration in 1961.
Oldest president
Joseph Biden is the oldest person to hold the office of U.S. President. On his final day in office in 2025, President Biden was 82 years old.
Non-consecutive terms
Grover Cleveland and current American president Donald Trump are the only presidents to serve non-consecutive terms. Cleveland was both the 22nd and 24th Commander in Chief, while President Trump was elected in 2016 and then again in 2024.
Offered resignation
Richard Nixon is the only president to resign from office. After the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex, Nixon’s administration headed a massive cover-up, which revealed abuse of power and obstruction of justice and led Nixon to resign in 1974 to avoid impeachment.
Presidential impeachment
Three presidents had impeachment proceedings brought against them: Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In fact, Trump was impeached twice. However, none of the impeachments led to a president’s removal from office, which requires a two-third vote from Congress.
Highest IQ
With a score of 175, Harvard University graduate John Quincy Adams is credited with having the highest IQ among American presidents. President Adams also was fluent in seven languages.
Physical characteristics
James Madison, the shortest president, was 5-feet-4-inches tall, but had the third-highest IQ. At 6-feet-4-inches, Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president. Lincoln and Warren G. Harding both share the title for having the biggest presidential feet, coming in at a size 14 shoe.
