President of the United States
The President of the United States is the head of state of their respective country.
Fiction
Generation One
Marvel Comics continuity
Marvel The Transformers comics
The President was concerned about the possible actions of the USSR. Prisoner of War!
The President met with the Autobots to promote an alliance, but the talks were interrupted by the Insecticons. Plague of the Insecticons! He was also unaware of the Intelligence and Information Institute's Centurion project. In the National Interest
Cliff Dietz referenced ex-president Franklin D. Roosevelt while boring Spike. The Man in the Machine!
Years later, the next President asked G.B. Blackrock to have his Neo-Knights quell a Decepticon conflict. ...All This and Civil War 2
Marvel Generation 2 comic
In the mid-1990s, the current President was a Democrat. Terrorist mad scientists aren't fans of Democrats. Goin' South
During the Decepticon onslaught on America, the President was not seen. Rumours abounded that he was hiding in a bunker and refusing to come out. The Gathering Darkness
The Transformers cartoon
A memorial to deceased President Abraham Lincoln exists in Washington, D.C.: a statue of him sitting on a large stone seat. Megatron once took out the statue so he could sit there, but the Autobots put it back later. Atlantis, Arise!
Listen 'n Fun audiobooks continuity
The 40th President of the United States awarded Dr. Heath Blaisedale "The President's Award for Outstanding Scientific Breakthrough" for her work on the solar reactor. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Fun)
Listen 'n Play audiobooks continuity
As part of a plan to ransom abducted humans for fuel, Megatron ordered Soundwave to send a ransom message to the President. The Autobots foiled the plan before this could be done. Sun Raid (Listen 'n Play)
Dreamwave Generation One continuity
The President flew to the Pentagon, where he was greeted by "Defense Minister" Dawson. Dawson briefed him on the Decepticon assault on San Francisco, and suggested an air strike. But before a military solution could be devised, Dawson was informed that a nuclear launch had been authorized (by General Robert Hallo, unbeknownst to either man). The President tried to abort the launch, to no avail. During this crisis, he displayed a level of concern that could only be adequately portrayed by his unique command of facial expressions. Prime Directive #6
G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers
After Cobra had taken control of several Cybertronians and used them to terrorize the United Nations, G.I. Joe managed to pinpoint the location of Cobra Island. While the Autobots and Decepticons were fighting there, General Renegar convinced the president to launch a nuclear strike targeted the island, despite the president’s initial misgivings about the nuclear fallout that would result from the attack. G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers #5
IDW Generation 1 continuity
After the Decepticons had established an infiltration team on Earth, Republican Senator Alexander Holt unwittingly talked to a facsimile construct of a politically powerful military general about concerns that stability in the Middle East would cause problems for his Big Oil backers. The false general assured Holt that the military and the government were in the region for the long haul. This would presumably include the current President. Nine months later, shortly after Megatron took command of the infiltration team, the Decepticon leader sent Thundercracker and Skywarp to attack the El-Jira nuclear power plant in the Middle East to inflame global tensions. By this time, Holt had become the favourite for the Republican presidential candidate and was recommending more direct intervention in the region. Escalation #2
Over a year later, during the full-scale Decepticon attack on the United States, the President requested Colonel Witwicky take command at New York City. All Hail Megatron #2 He then thought it was a good idea to get on Air Force One while flying robots were attacking; this caused his death after Starscream crashed the plane into the Lincoln Memorial. All Hail Megatron #3
Three years after the Decepticons were driven away, the new President made a live address in response to North Korea using the Combaticons to attack South Korea. He announced that any nation using or allying themselves with Cybertronians would be considered by the United States to be in possession of weapons of mass destruction. This was a huge setback for Spike Witwicky, who had just organized an alliance between the Autobots and Skywatch, and was planning to use them to take care of the Combaticons. "The Land Ironclads" Skywatch went ahead with the mission regardless, and it all ended with the public learning that the US was secretly employing Autobots. The government had no idea how to spin the story, and within a week the President had made three official statements without actually explaining anything. "All My Sins Remembered" Criticism against the President's failing security measures grew as the Decepticons returned to Earth and a man was killed by Autobots in Albuquerque. Enemy Mine
Years later, the President was a black woman. She liked Earth Defense Command director Marissa Faireborne and allowed the EDC to operate on US soil, something that she knew would never have been done before the Transformers changed the rules. So she was left very unhappy after Optimus Prime declared Earth an Autobot protectorate and Faireborne didn't take the opportunity to shoot the guy. She chewed Faireborne out before making two big choices: allowing China's People's Liberation Army Mecha Force to operate in the US and pardoning the violent criminal Spike Witwicky to her liason to the EDC. Now it was all Earth VS the alien. New Worlds Order Said aliens began 'helping' globally, concerning her when that included stopping police aggression in Detroit, and a raid on their base turned up only a message that the Autobots were here to help. The President heard the EDC argue that maybe they should be open to the idea the Autobots were indeed trying to help, and said they need to find them as they wouldn't just show up on their doorsteps...
...when Aileron landed at the White House's doorsteps and demanded a surrender! A brief fight bewteen Transformer and US forces made it clear to the horrified President that the Autobots could very easily have killed everyone; Witwicky pointed out that Prime did not and this was a weakness to exploit. Edge of the Earth
Transformers vs. G.I. Joe
After the United Nations tried to take security of the world out of G.I. Joe's hands and turn it over to "independent contractor" GIJONIN, Expelled from the Garden General Flagg initiated a military coup, telling the president he could "take a well-earned vacation" because "Joe's got it from here." Pax Megatronus
Cybertron cartoon
President Gabriella Constanza knew about Colonel Franklin's investigation of the Transformers, and didn't believe it was a sensible project. Family Alexis Thi Dang served as her Secretary of State. Ask Vector Prime
She was still a "new President" during the summer, and made confusing promises at the United Nations. She was well known for speaking in incomprehensible jargon. Shortly before the landslide at Boulder, Colorado, Six-Speed was pulled over by the police, he used a hologram of the President to disguise his lack of a driver. Naturally, seeing the leader of the free world at the wheel of a tiny green race car totally freaked the cops out, and the Mini-Con was able to drive off in the confusion. Collapse
After the Transformers were revealed to Earth, the President admitted to Franklin that she was wrong for doubting his project. Family
Much later, the President officially named Franklin as Earth's ambassador to Cybertron. Beginning
Animated continuity family
The AllSpark Almanac
The multiversal news source ALTernity Today reported that the very same Alexis won the Whig Party primary for President. She ran on a platform for a stronger alliance between Earth and Cybertron.
A Burger Bot placemat focused on presidential history. By the 22nd century, Mount Rushmore has added Nixon and Cobra Commander to its ranks. It also features the following presidents, and their accomplishments:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led the country to victory during World War II.
- Walter Barnett, who articulated The Barnett Doctrine of open borders.
- Elaine Nakamura, the nation's first female president.
- Tommy Kennedy, who established the first colony on Mars.
- James K. Polk, who brought Texas and California into the union.
- Howard J. Nissen, who saved the rainforests.
- Edward Augutter, a president-elect who drove off the Inhumanoid menace.
- Benito Caruso, who restored diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the United States.
- John Keller, who solved world hunger through the Los Bogos Project.
Time-Quake
While traveling through history, Bulkhead and a human encountered Abraham Lincoln, shortly before he gave the Gettysburg Address. In 2012 they also encountered Gabriella Constanza, then a teenager, who was destined to become president. She would be the 47th person and first woman to hold that title. Bulkhead saved her from being run over by a bus. Time-Quake
Live-action film series
Movies
Transformers film
President Herbert Hoover established Sector Seven in 1927, and had Hoover Dam built around the AllSpark. (See Notes)
The President in 2007 seemed almost insignificant during most of the Decepticon-caused military chaos, with Secretary of Defense John Keller pretty much running the show. Mostly, he wore red socks, had a penchant for Ding Dongs and spoke with a cheesy southwestern accent and stereotypical dialect ("Can you wrangle me up some Ding Dongs, darlin'?"). He also seemed unconcerned with tiny, crazy robots hacking into the computers of his ride—that is, until he's thrown in a bunker somewhere after the resulting emergency landing.
The United States military began approaching potential conflict with Russia and China when Sector Seven realised it was the Transformers. The President ordered Tom Banachek to the Pentagon to inform Keller about the Transformers' existence.
He ordered Sector 7 to be terminated and the remains of the dead Decepticons disposed of into the Laurentian Abyss. Transformers
Revenge of the Fallen film
NEST was formed sometime in 2007 or 2008, under the last President. However, the Autobot transmission into space to summon reinforcements was not vetted by the President or any of his staff, only by NEST's Major Lennox.
Poor old President Obama; while running for office, he was asked about his policy on alien life and responded with a joke The Real Effing Deal... and then found himself a newly elected leader during an Autobot-Decepticon war! He appointed Theodore Galloway as his National Security Advisor.
Concerns with the growing casualties caused him to send Galloway to investigate NEST and the Autobots, and when they escalated further he shut down NEST. Following Operation: Firestorm however, he reactivated NEST Revenge of the Fallen and afterwards took a more supportive role, even authorising airstrikes on US soil. Tales of the Fallen issue 5
Dark of the Moon film
John F. Kennedy initiated the race to the Ark on the moon, which Richard Nixon saw to completion.
Decades later, Obama awarded Sam Witwicky a medal for saving the world twice.
A memorial to deceased President Abraham Lincoln exists in Washington, D.C.: a statue of him sitting on a large stone seat. After Sentinel Prime betrayed the Autobots, Megatron arrived in Washington, D.C. and saw the Abraham Lincoln Memorial as a fitting new throne for him. He blasted the statue to bits with his fusion shotgun, and Igor promptly chewed on the statue's head. Dark of the Moon
Age of Extinction film
Despite the massive loss of life in the Battle of Chicago and the general public's fear of Transformers, the President was grateful for the Autobots' part in the victory, and granted them asylum in return for their service, though they were free to aid in the hunt for the surviving Decepticons with CIA agent Harold Attinger and his Cemetery Wind unit. However, the President was not informed of the terrible truth that Attinger was hunting down all Transformers regardless of faction, and was kept in the dark for five years. His newly appointed Chief of Staff was surprised to learn that Attinger was not on friendly terms with Optimus Prime, denying the President's request for a photo op with the Autobot leader. When Lockdown, a secret ally of Attinger's, parked his ship in the skies over Chicago in broad daylight, the President demanded an explanation from the Chief of Staff and by extension Attinger, who simply assured his commander-in-chief it was not the advent of another invasion. Age of Extinction
Titan Magazines Transformers comics
Following Decepticon occupation, the President was dead and John Keller was nowhere to be found. The hawkish Vice President, Theodore F. Allen, became the new President following the liberation of America. Allen distrusts both Autobot and Decepticon, viewing them both as hostile alien invaders using Earth as a battleground for their war, so it would probably piss him off considerably to know Starscream's Insecticons have planted a mind-controlling cerebro-strip in his head. Aftermath Part 1 Aftermath Part 2
While he was allowed to act autonomously during Earth's technorganic crisis Dark Spark Return To Cybertron, Part: 1, Starscream eventually trigged him. One of his last acts was to get the US government to order the Autobots off American soil - and then nuke their ship as they left. Revolution Part 1 He was then used to impair America's response to Decepticon takeover. Revolution Part 2
He is still President in 2009, after his inherited term had run out, implying he'd won the 2008 election. Revolution Part 1
IDW movie comics
In 1898, Theodore Joseph Wells and Walter Simmons were dispatched to investigate Archibald Witwicky's claims by order of President McKinley. His government's House Committee on Military Affairs would finance and back the early Sector Seven. Original
Wells would carry out mysterious missions for the President. This may have included missions for President Wilson, almost certainly President Taft, and a known 1900 mission for McKinley again. Irreplaceable
Future President Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou would be stranded in China during the Boxer Rebellion, and used a radio to transmit information on Boxer troop movement to American forces; it was here they met Wells of the future Sector Seven. As an expert on mining, Hoover was secretly tasked by Sector Seven to secretly divert the Colorado River so they could excavate "the Cube"; Lou, as a metallurgist, was hired as a Sector Seven employee. Both of them encountered Jetfire and helped stop him, and several AllSpark Mutations. Irreplaceable
During his political career, Hoover made it a key priority to construct a permanent base in Colorado where Sector Seven could keep the Cube. That's why they eventually called it Hoover Dam! Field Notes from John Barber #2
Shattered Glass
The President of the United States was President Colton. Colton was strong on national defense and didn't care much about how the rest of the world thought. He didn't appreciate the Autobots taking control of his defense satellite, or the Decepticons destroying it. Eye in the Sky
Aligned continuity family
Titan Prime comic
The President was relaxing on Air Force One when a Secret Service dude passed on a message from the First Gentleman, Jerry, asking if she wanted meatloaf or roast chicken for dinner. She was just opting for pizza when the plane was suddenly attacked and everyone on it gassed into unconsciousness. The Decepticon Starscream took the plane to the Grand Canyon, where he intended to ransom it for Optimus Prime. When the Autobots turned up, Starscream attempted to use the President's unconscious body as a human shield, waving her around in his hand. Optimus quickly severed his arm, catching the President. She later woke up with a headache and joined the rest of the Air Force One crew in wondering how they'd gotten to the Grand Canyon. All the President's 'Bots!
Rescue Bots cartoon
The Hall of Inspiration in Griffin Rock had a hologram of former President Chester A. Arthur acting as its curator. Small Blessings
Renegade Rhetoric
Cy-Kill owns a George Washington costume.
He once ran for president as a ruse to install Indoctrination Chips in the candidates. He dispatched his forces all over to gather signatures at the end of a blaster. Stallion and Stinger, two American-model cars, were dispatched to Detroit to get the automotive unions. Chaos, a Grumman model plane, went to their plant in Long Island. Spoons and Block Head, two construction vehicles, went to blue-collar Pittsburgh. Loco conducted a "whistle-stop campaign" (snerk) in Illinois. Geeper-Creeper had a disastrous encounter with Twister at Fort Bragg but fortunately this was in the days before cell phone cameras and there was no record. His actual plan was foiled when Scooter tricked him with a hologram into making a move against the Guardians' human allies Matt Hunter and A.J. Foster. In the ensuing battle, Cy-Kill, Crasher, and Waterwalk were driven off by Leader-1, Turbo, and Motosan. Despite his failure, Cy-Kill looks back on this misadventure fondly. Perhaps the George Washington costume was from this campaign. Renegade Rhetoric (1), 2015/10/18
When the Renegades worked with businessman Drake J. Hinkleford IV to take over Earth's financial sector, Hinkleford called the President in order to have General Newcastle forcibly retired from UNECOM. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/01/28
In an alternate timeline created when Cy-Kill, Crasher, Cop-Tur, and Tank traveled back in time and changed history, President Braxis was the collaborationist leader of Earth in conjunction with the Renegade regime. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/01/29
In one possible future, President Jake Hunter welcomed the temporally-displaced Turbo and Crasher and celebrated the completion of the rebuilding of Gobotron. Renegade Rhetoric (2), 2016/02/01
Notes
- The President never appeared in the original animated series, but he did have a cameo in The Inhumanoids, one of Transformers "sister series" produced by Sunbow and arguably set in the same continuity. Appearing only as a voice from offscreen speaking to his aides in The Surma Plan in 1986, the President was portrayed by voice actor Neil Ross, clearly doing an impression of then-president Ronald Reagan.
- IDW Optimus Prime's Holomatter avatar is modeled after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of United States.[1]
- While unnamed, Marvel's presidents are clearly meant to be Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and were established as such in 2015's Ask Vector Prime; while IDW's Tales of the Fallen #5 shows the hand of a President who is clearly meant to be Barack Obama. Dreamwave's Prez doesn't appear to be meant as George W. Bush, but since this is Pat Lee drawing it could simply be a bad drawing of Dubya.
- "Irreplaceable" is the first Transformers story to have a real-life President, explicitly named as such, as a main character.
- The 2007 film refers to President Hoover forming Sector Seven in 1927, forgetting that President Coolidge was in charge at the time. IDW's Sector 7 miniseries jumped through hoops to have Hoover in a position to form S7 before he became the Prez.
External links
- Wikipedia page on the office of President of the United States
- Website of the current President of the United States
