The Presidency / The First Year

Gold plate on back of chair that says "the president"

Joe Biden at one year

Presidential experts evaluate the 46th president's first year in office

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Donald Trump at one year

White House veterans and Miller Center scholars evaluate the 45th president's first 365 days

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Featured Video

First Year Project Introduction

Watch this overview of the First Year Project

Democrat and Republican balance image

The Presidency

Presidential constraints

A new president's success is limited by structural and institutional realities
Daniel J. Galvin
Northwestern University
John Kennedy giving a speech

The Presidency

Speechwriting in the first year

On December 9, 2016, the Miller Center assembled five former speechwriters from the first years of the Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama presidencies to discuss their tenures and the lessons learned. What follows is a summary of key points from the discussion.
Tony Lucadamo
Miller Center
giant pothole

Infrastructure

One giant pothole

To compete on a global scale and provide our citizens with the quality of life they have come to expect, the United States must have a first-rate infrastructure. This means our road, bridge, transit, aviation, port, water, electric grid, and broadband networks must be able to accommodate current and future demands.
Ray LaHood