Lead: Former President George W. Bush published a Presidents Day essay Monday through the More Perfect initiative that praised George Washington’s decision to relinquish extraordinary power and to step down after two terms. The essay, the first entry in a new history series called In Pursuit, does not name President Donald Trump but draws on Washingtonian norms that observers say contrast with recent challenges to the peaceful transfer of power. Bush and Trump were seated only a few seats apart at Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January 2025, underscoring a tense backdrop for the message. More Perfect released the piece as part of preparatory work ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Key Takeaways
- Essay publication: The piece ran Monday on More Perfect as the inaugural essay in the In Pursuit history series tied to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
- Implicit target: The essay praises Washington for surrendering military command and stepping down after two terms, language that observers read as a veiled critique of leaders who resist leaving office.
- Seating proximity: Bush and President Trump were seated a few seats apart at Jimmy Carter’s January 2025 funeral, a detail noted by multiple outlets.
- Project leadership: Colleen Shogan, who left the National Archives after a February 2025 dismissal, is overseeing In Pursuit and described the project as taking a long historical view.
- Participation: The series will include essays from other prominent figures across partisan lines, including former presidents and senior jurists.
- White House response: Reporters have sought comment from the White House; no substantive public response had been filed at the time of reporting.
Background
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance focused on strengthening democratic institutions and civic education as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. In Pursuit is positioned as a history project aimed at drawing lessons from founding-era choices and how those precedents bear on contemporary governance. The choice to open the series with a reflection on George Washington emphasizes norms long associated with the office of the presidency, especially the restraint Washington showed after the Revolutionary War.
The essay appears amid heightened debate about presidential norms after the 2020 election, judicial and congressional probes, and public disputes over election outcomes. Donald Trump sought to overturn the 2020 election according to post-2020 reporting, and he has signaled interest in future presidential candidacies. Legal scholars have widely argued that a third consecutive term would face constitutional obstacles, and commentators see Bush’s emphasis on stepping down as a normative reminder.
Main Event
In the essay, Bush frames Washington as a model of self-control and civic-mindedness who deliberately limited his own power. He highlights two specific acts: relinquishing direct command of the Army after the Revolution, and leaving the presidency after two terms, both described as deliberate choices that prevented monarchical rule. Although Bush stops short of naming any contemporary politician, the text repeatedly returns to the theme of humility as central to the office and the health of republican government.
The piece is the first installment in In Pursuit, which organizers present as a series of historical reflections intended to inform current civic life without partisan narrowness. Bush did not sit for published interviews about the essay, and project leaders have framed the series as an attempt to make history relevant to present challenges while avoiding direct political attacks. Colleen Shogan, formerly the National Archivist who left that position in February 2025, is guiding the project and told reporters the initiative is taking a long view of American constitutional norms.
Media accounts note the juxtaposition of Bush and Trump at high-profile events, including Jimmy Carter’s funeral in January 2025, where they were seated a few chairs apart. Observers say that image, combined with the essay, lends subtext to Bush’s emphasis on dignified restraint. More Perfect published the essay on Monday and promoted it as part of its broader educational programming leading to 2026 and beyond.
Analysis & Implications
At face value, the essay is a historical meditation on Washington and the founding-era choice to restrict executive power. Practically, it functions as an appeal to civic norms at a moment when norms have been tested by contested elections and legal challenges. A former president weighing in on restraint and voluntary departure from office draws on moral authority rather than institutional enforcement, and such appeals can shape elite discourse even if they do not change legal trajectories.
Politically, the move is calibrated to be broadly defensible: praising Washington’s humility and the practice of leaving office after two terms is a nonpartisan touchstone that nevertheless communicates a clear preference about how presidents should behave. For Republican and independent audiences who revere founders, the language is intended to resonate without overtly aligning with a partisan opponent. Still, opponents and partisans may interpret the tone as a rebuke.
Internationally, reaffirmations of peaceful transfer and presidential restraint are likely to be noted by allies and adversaries alike. Democratic norms influence diplomatic credibility, and reminders from former leaders can help reassure foreign partners that long-standing US commitments to constitutional process remain culturally significant, even if contested at particular moments.
Comparison & Data
| Precedent | Practice | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| George Washington | Relinquished military command; stepped down after two terms | Set early republic norm against concentrated executive power |
| Franklin D. Roosevelt | Served four elected terms (1933-1945) | Led to adoption of the 22nd Amendment in 1951 limiting presidents to two terms |
| 22nd Amendment (1951) | Legal cap on terms | Formalized two-term limit into constitutional law |
This comparison shows how a normative practice became codified after exceptional circumstances. Washington’s voluntary restraint served as a model until FDR’s four-term presidency prompted a constitutional response, demonstrating both the power of precedent and the conditions under which law was used to lock in a norm.
Reactions & Quotes
Shogan framed the series as emphasizing enduring lessons from history and said the initiative intends to take a long view on presidential behavior.
Colleen Shogan, In Pursuit project lead
Observers in the press described Bush’s language as deliberately measured and suited to a civic education context rather than direct partisan attack.
Media analysts
Reporters have reached out to the White House for comment on whether the president viewed the essay as a rebuke; no substantial response had been published at the time of reporting.
White House communications (sought)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Bush intended the essay as an explicit reference to any single contemporary political figure is not confirmed by the text itself and remains a matter of interpretation.
- There is no public evidence yet that former presidents coordinated their contributions to In Pursuit with each other beyond standard project planning.
- Future legal or political moves by President Trump regarding a third term remain speculative until formal announcements or filings appear.
Bottom Line
George W. Bush’s Presidents Day essay uses the authority of historical precedent to make a normative case for presidential humility and voluntary departure from office. By anchoring the argument in George Washington’s actions, the piece frames restraint as both a personal virtue and a civic necessity, seeking to reinforce a norm that has been tested in recent years.
Whether the essay shifts behavior is uncertain, but it contributes to a public record in which former leaders use reputational capital to defend institutional norms. Readers should watch In Pursuit for follow-up essays and statements from other high-profile contributors and monitor official responses as the project unfolds ahead of the 250th anniversary observances.
Sources
- The Daily Beast — news report summarizing the essay and reactions (media)
- More Perfect — project host and initiative background (organization)
- The New York Times — reporting cited for context on the essay and project participation (media)