George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009, following his tenure as the 46th Governor of Texas. His 2000 presidential victory over Al Gore was notably contested, culminating in a Supreme Court decision, and his early initiatives included major tax cuts and the landmark education reform, the No Child Left Behind Act. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks dramatically reshaped his presidency, leading to the "War on Terror," the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the latter controversially based on the false belief of WMDs.

Re-elected in 2004, his second term saw ongoing global conflicts, the handling of Hurricane Katrina, and the onset of the Great Recession, prompting significant economic interventions. Bush's presidency, marked by both record-high approval after 9/11 and low ratings during the financial crisis, remains a subject of highly divisive public opinion and historical debate.