Notable quotes from American presidents
Americans will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States throughout 2026. Many a notable leader has influenced the country in its
250-year history, and the following are some notable quotes from American presidents over the course of the nation’s history.
“ If _e can but pre_ent the go_ernment from _asting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them, they must become happy.
”
— ThThomas Jefffferson, 1802
“ Peace is the best time for impro_ement and preparation of e_ery kind; it is in peace that our commerce flourishes most, that taxes are most easily paid, and that the re_enue is most producti_e.
” — James Monroe, 1817
“ Officeholders are the agents of the people, not their masters.
” — Grover Cleveland, 1886
“ In the history of mankind, many republics ha_e risen, ha_e flourished for a less or greater time, and then ha_e fallen because their citizens lost the po_er of go_erning themsel_es and thereby go_erning their state; and in no _ay has this loss of po_er been so often and so clearly sho_n as in the tendency to turn the go_ernment into a go_ernment primarily for the benefit of one class instead of a go_ernment for the benefit of the people as a _hole.
” — Theodore Roosevelt, 1903
“ Go_ernments do not make ideals, but ideals make go_ernments.
” — Calvin Coolidge, 1926
“ No go_ernment is perfect. One of the chief _irtues of democracy, ho_e_er, is that its defects are al_ays _isible and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected.
” — Harry S. Truman, 1947
“ Mankind must put an end to _ar — or _ar _ill put an end to mankind.
” — John F. Kennedy, 1961
“ A president’s hardest task is not to do _hat is right, but to kno_ _hat is right.
”
— Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965
“ American has ne_er been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that mo_e us beyond our backgrounds, lift us abo_e our interests and teach us _hat it means to be citizens.”
— George W. Bush, 2001
“ Change _ill not come if _e _ait for some
other person, or if _e _ait for some other time. We are the ones _e’_e been _aiting for. We are the change that _e seek.”
— Barack Obama, 2008 (delivered while campaigning for president in an election Obama ultimately won)
