There are definite perks to being president of the United States. You’re the leader of the free world, you get to live in the White House, and you fly around in a tricked-out airplane. You also get a Secret Service code name. And so do your family members. Below is a list of several presidential code names. What name would you want if you were president?
Lancer
John F. KennedyU.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy speaking about the U.S. space program at Rice University, Houston, September 12, 1962.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.John F. Kennedy’s code name was apt, given that his administration was often compared to Camelot, the magical court of Arthurian legend of which Lancelot was a legendary knight. First Lady Jackie Kennedy was known as Lace.
Searchlight
Richard NixonRichard Nixon during a campaign stop in 1968, saluting the crowd with his iconic “V-is-for-Victory” gesture.Oliver F. Atkins—White House Photo/Nixon Presidential Library and Museum/NARARichard Nixon had one of the more ironic code names in light of his attempts to cover up what became the Watergate scandal.
Passkey
Gerald FordU.S. Pres. Gerald R. Ford.The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and MuseumGerald Ford’s moniker also held a certain irony, as he locked the door on any possibility of criminal prosecution against his predecessor, Nixon, by granting him “a full, free, and absolute pardon.”
Deacon
Jimmy CarterU.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter.Courtesy: Jimmy Carter LibraryJimmy Carter’s name reflected his deeply religious faith. Long active in the Baptist church, he continued to teach Sunday school after becoming president.
Rawhide
Courtesy, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Ronald Reagan’s code name was possibly a reference to the numerous westerns he had appeared in before becoming a politician.
Timberwolf
Bush, GeorgeArchitect of the Capitol photo courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., Prints & Photographs Division (reproduction no. LC-USZ62-12345)George Bush takes the oath of office as U.S. president, January 20, 1989.
Alas, it is unknown why George H.W. Bush was named for the largest member of the dog family.
Eagle
U.S. Department of Defense Bill Clinton also had an unexplained animal moniker. Some have speculated that the code name concerned his association with the Boy Scouts. Eagle Scout is the organization’s top rank, a fitting name for someone holding the highest office in the land.
Trailblazer
George W. Bush: Farewell AddressPres. George W. Bush delivering his Farewell Address from the East Room of the White House, Washington, D.C., January 15, 2009.Chris Greenberg/The White HouseGeorge W. Bush’s presidential code name was complimentary, but his name while his father was president was less flattering: Tumbler. According to some reports, it was based on his alleged propensity to party.
Renegade
Barack ObamaBarack Obama, 2012.Pete Souza—Official White House PhotoBarack Obama reportedly picked this moniker from a list of code names that started with R. No word on what the other choices were.
Mogul
Donald TrumpThe official presidential portrait of Donald Trump.White House PhotoWhile Donald Trump once stated that he would select “Humble” as his code name, the Secret Service opted for something that was…well, a little less humble.
Celtic
Joe BidenJoe Biden, 2012.David Lienemann—Official White House PhotoJoe Biden’s code name—which was the same one used when he was vice president—is a reference to his Irish heritage.
[Find out how much you’ve discovered about presidential code names by taking this quiz.]
