Index/People/William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft

President of the United States from 1909 to 1913

Fact-Checks

28 results
Jan 21, 2026
Most Viewed

what presidents have wanted to buy greenland

repeatedly from the 19th century to today: and his circle explored Greenland after purchase; ’s diplomats proposed a land-exchange in the early 20th century; made a formal postwar bid in 1946; and pla...

Oct 21, 2025
Most Viewed

Which other Presidents have overseen significant renovations to the White House?

Several presidents have overseen major changes to the White House across two centuries: early construction and rebuilds (George Washington, James Madison), turn-of-the-century and early 20th-century a...

Oct 1, 2025
Most Viewed

Which US president had the highest recorded weight?

William Howard Taft is the best-documented answer: multiple historical accounts and compiled presidential data list , with reported peak weights between during his adult life (sources span 1905–2024)....

Oct 21, 2025

Which Presidents have made the most significant changes to the White House?

President Donald Trump’s 2025 plan to construct a privately funded, roughly $200–$250 million ballroom and associated East Wing alterations is presented by multiple accounts as the most significant st...

Dec 3, 2025

Have past presidents ever been recorded sleeping during official meetings and what was the fallout?

Past presidents have been publicly seen dozing or sleeping in official settings multiple times: Taft reportedly snored through events, Coolidge kept long daytime naps and sometimes slept during meetin...

Oct 5, 2025

What is the average weight of all US presidents?

The most consistent, extractable claim across the provided analyses is that the , with reported extremes of , and that presidential weights have trended upward over time; this finding is anchored in a...

Nov 11, 2025

Have other US presidents been reported falling asleep in office?

Yes — reporting and historical accounts show multiple U.S. presidents have been observed or reported to sleep, nap, or doze while carrying out official duties; instances range from documented naps in ...

Nov 9, 2025

Historical instances of US presidents napping in the White House

Several reliable analyses and compiled accounts confirm that , with documented examples including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Lyndon B. Johnson and Calvin Coolidge; these practices are presented a...

Oct 25, 2025

How did the West Wing expansion change the White House layout?

The West Wing expansions and renovations reshaped the White House from a series of separate greenhouse and auxiliary structures into the modern executive office complex and altered the location and sc...

Oct 22, 2025

How has the West Wing been renovated or expanded since its initial construction?

The West Wing has been repeatedly renovated and expanded since its 1902 origins, with major works under Presidents Taft, Hoover, and Roosevelt that added offices, a second floor and subterranean space...

Oct 29, 2025

What was the original architectural design of the West Wing?

The West Wing began as a to move executive staff out of the residence and create formal presidential offices; that original structure was modest and intended as short‑term accommodation . Over the nex...

Oct 25, 2025

Has any president ever made significant structural changes to the White House?

Presidents have repeatedly made across U.S. history: expansions, internal reconstructions, and functional additions such as the West and East Wings, the Oval Office, and a near-complete postwar rebuil...

Oct 29, 2025

What is the significance of Freemasonry in US presidential history?

Freemasonry features prominently among U.S. presidents: at least a dozen presidents from George Washington through Gerald Ford were Freemasons, and historians trace Masonic membership and Enlightenmen...

Feb 1, 2026

When have U.S. former presidents historically broken norms to publicly criticize successors, and what were the consequences?

have on multiple occasions broken the informal norm of not publicly criticizing their successors — from to , , and to — and the consequences have ranged from political publicity and strained personal ...

Dec 3, 2025

Which past U.S. presidents have been documented dozing during official meetings?

Multiple modern presidents have been observed dozing or appearing drowsy on camera during official events: recent coverage documents President Donald Trump repeatedly closing his eyes and appearing to...

Nov 13, 2025

What were the major renovations made to the West Wing during the Truman administration?

The Truman administration carried out a near‑total reconstruction of the White House from roughly 1948 to 1952 that gutted the interior, rebuilt the structure on new concrete and steel supports, and p...

Oct 22, 2025

What was the primary purpose of the West Wing when it was first built?

The West Wing was built primarily to provide , initially constructed as a temporary solution during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency in 1902 but later made permanent and expanded by subsequent administ...

Oct 21, 2025

Which US presidents oversaw major White House renovations?

Executive Summary The sources agree that multiple presidents have overseen , most prominently Theodore Roosevelt for the West Wing addition and Harry Truman for an almost complete interior reconstruct...

Oct 21, 2025

What were the most significant White House renovations in US history?

The sources repeatedly identify three renovations as the most consequential in White House history: the near-total reconstruction after the British burned the mansion in 1814, Theodore Roosevelt’s ear...

Oct 21, 2025

What were the most extensive renovations made to the White House and which President oversaw them?

The most extensive renovation of the White House was the complete interior reconstruction carried out from 1949–1952 under President Harry S. Truman, which dismantled and rebuilt the interior while pr...