Which U.S. president first celebrated Diwali at the White House in 2003?

Which U.S. president first celebrated Diwali at the White House in 2003? George W. Bush did. The White House first hosted a Diwali celebration during Bush’s presidency in 2003, marking an early formal recognition of the festival at the presidential residence.

The event was part of a broader growth in public awareness of Diwali in the United States, driven especially by Indian American, Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities. White House observances have included ceremonial lamps, greetings, cultural programming and recognition of the festival’s religious and civic significance.

Barack Obama is often confused with Bush because Obama became the first U.S. president to personally attend a Diwali celebration at the White House, in 2009. That distinction matters: Bush’s administration held the first White House Diwali celebration, while Obama’s attendance represented a later milestone. The U.S. Congress formally recognized Diwali’s significance in 2007.