President George W. Bush turns 78 years old: A look back at his presidency, life

Former President of the United States George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut

Republican President George W. Bush was first elected as the 43rd President of the United States in November 2000. He served two consecutive full terms in office. (Getty Images)

George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents Barbara Bush and former President George H.W. Bush. (Photo by Newsmakers)

George W. Bush and Laura Bush married one another on November 5, 1977. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

George and Laura share twin daughters, Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager. (Photo by Shealah Craighead/The White House via WireImage)

During his presidency, Bush lived in the White House with his dog Spot, an English springer spaniel. (Photo by Rick Wilking/Liaison)

On Sept. 11, 2001, during Bush's first year in office, the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists, killing thousands of Americans. (Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg-Pool/Getty Images)

At the time of the attacks, Bush was reading to children at an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida. Once he received word of the tragic attacks, he flew back to Washington to meet with his VP, Dick Cheney, and other government personnel. (Photo by David Bohrer/U.S. National Archives via Getty Images)

Bush spoke to firefighters, police officers and the nation at the site of the World Trade Center on Sept. 14, 2001. (Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President of the United States, George W. Bush, and his father, Former President George H.W. Bush at a Texas Rangers game. (Matt Slocum-Pool/Getty Images)

Bush had five siblings, including Jeb Bush, Marvin Bush, Neil Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch and Pauline Robinson Bush. Pauline passed away in 1953 at age three from leukemia. (Photo by Eric Draper/White House via Getty Images)

Bush, a Republican president, often met with U.S. military personnel throughout his presidency and after his two full terms. (Photo by Robert G. Inverso/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Here, Bush is photographed with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2005.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Bush and Putin are photographed shaking hands ahead of a G-8 meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2006, where world leaders met to discuss the evacuation of their citizens from Lebanon and Israel as a result of Italy and the U.K. sending warships to the Eastern Mediterranean. (Photo by Dmitry Beliakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

George H. W. Bush passed away on November 30, 2018, and former presidents, including Clinton, Obama and Trump, attended the services. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Bloomberg)

In 2022, Bush posed with Clinton at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. (Photo by Chris Condon/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

George W. Bush, born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, was the 43rd President of the United States.

Bush was born to parents Barbara Bush and former President George H. W. Bush. He has five siblings; Jeb Bush, Marvin Bush, Neil Bush, Dorothy Bush Koch and Pauline Robinson Bush. Pauline was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away at age three.

He was formerly the Republican Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000.

WHY FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IS WINNING … THE POST-PRESIDENCY

Bush was first elected to the White House in November 2000, and officially began his first term as president in January 2001, after he defeated Democrat Al Gore during the presidential election. Bush was reelected to his second term as the incumbent in November 2004, when he prevailed over Democrat John Kerry, and led the United States until January 2009 before handing over his torch to former President Barack Obama.

Bush married Laura Bush on November 5, 1977, the day after her 31st birthday, in her hometown of Midland, Texas. The couple were engaged in September 1977, and married less than two months later in a Methodist church. Bush and Laura met at a barbecue, and he took her to play mini-golf on their first date. 

The Bush's share twin daughters, Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, born on November 25, 1981. Today, the couple also share four grandchildren; Mila, Poppy, Hal and Cora.

GEORGE BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY ISSUE STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN WITH MESSAGE TO US TROOPS, VETERANS

During his presidency, Bush cared for his English springer spaniel, Spot Fetcher, who accompanied him to meetings in the Oval Office and on adventures throughout the White House. The dog was born to his parent's dog, Millie.

On September 11, 2001, less than one year into Bush's presidency, the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists when airplanes hit both buildings, causing a collapse and thousands of lives lost. At the time, Bush was reading to elementary-aged children at a school in Sarasota, Florida. He was calmly and quietly advised of the attacks and quickly returned to Washington, where he was briefed alongside Vice President Dick Cheney.

Bush was regarded highly for his poise while learning of the attacks and for his demonstration of patriotism and leadership in the uncertain days and weeks following the hijackings of multiple planes on the day that shook America to her core.

SADDAM CAPTURED ‘LIKE A RAT’ IN RAID

On December 30, 2003, during Bush's first term as POTUS, Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi leader and executor of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., was captured by the American military

In the early morning of December 30, 2006, during Bush's presidency, Hussein was hanged and executed for his crimes against humanity. Americans across the nation celebrated the death of Hussein and applauded Bush for promising the country he would take him out and following through.

While Bush was regarded for his dealings with the terrorist attacks, the signing of No Child Left Behind Act and the Patriot Act and the creation of the United States Department of Homeland Security, many Americans were unhappy with the sanctions of interrogation techniques, the war in Iraq and taxes while he was president.

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