Who was the first U.S. president to resign from office?

Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president to resign from office.

Nixon announced his resignation on August 8, 1974, and it took effect at noon on August 9. He resigned amid the Watergate scandal, which involved a 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and a broader investigation into political misconduct and the White House response.

Nixon had won reelection in 1972 by a large margin, but evidence from investigations and released White House recordings damaged his political support. The Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Nixon in July 1974 required him to surrender subpoenaed recordings. Facing likely impeachment and removal, Nixon chose to leave office.

Vice President Gerald Ford became president after Nixon’s resignation. Ford remains the only person to become both vice president and president without being elected to either office. Nixon’s resignation is distinct from presidential deaths, such as Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, and from presidents who completed their terms after impeachment proceedings.