Codenames of US Presidents Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mogul

Donald Trump took office as the 45th US president in January 2016. The codename perhaps reflected his previous life in business.

His wife, Melania, had the codename "Muse".

Harry Truman was the first president to have a codename, "General".

** Codenames may change during a president's term: these are names that have entered the public domain **

Answer: Renegade

Barack Obama was the 44th president and served two terms from January 2009.

His wife, Michelle, had the nickname "Renaissance". The Obama daughters Malia and Sasha were "Radiance" and "Rosebud". The close family of the president generally all have codenames starting with the same letter as the incumbent.

While the Secret Service is the organisation that probably uses the codenames the most, it is not responsible for selecting them. The White House Communications Agency provides a list.

Answer: Trailblazer

George W. Bush was the 43rd president, serving from 2001 to 2009 in two terms. When he was merely the son of a president, he was known as "Tumbler".

His wife, Laura, had the codename "Tempo".

The White House, meanwhile, also has a codename: "Castle".

Answer: Eagle

Bill Clinton was another two-term president. The 43rd occupier of the office served from 1993 to 2001.

The First Lady, Hillary, had the codename "Evergreen". She retained that codename when she was presidential candidate in 2016. All members of the Clinton family had names beginning with an "E".

Incidentally, in the fictional TV series "The West Wing", President Jed Bartlett was also "Eagle".

Answer: Timberwolf

George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st president, serving from 1989 to 1993.

His wife, Barbara, was "Snowbank" and "Tranquility"

George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush were only the second set of father and son to serve as president. John Adams and John Quincy Adams were the first duo to do so.

Answer: Rawhide

In office from 1981 to 1989, Ronald Reagan was the 40th president. I wonder just how much prolonged thought went into picking that particular name given Reagan's acting past and love of ranching....

His wife, Nancy, was "Rainbow".

According to some sources, Reagan was relaxed about being referred to as "Rawhide" to his face.

Members of the close presidential administration also get codenames. Press secretaries traditionally all had the codename "Matrix". (As related by Scott McClellan in a National Public Radio interview.)

Answer: Lock Master / Deacon

Jimmy Carter was another president to have two codenames. He was the 39th incumbent, serving from 1977 to 1981.

His wife Rosalynn was "Lotus Petal" and "Dancer".

The Secret Service is charged with protecting the sitting president and their family; the vice-president and family; president-elect and family; and-vice president-elect and family. At time of writing, one agent had lost his life protecting a president, Leslie Coffelt died following an assassination attempt on President Harry Truman on November 1, 1950. Truman escaped injury.

Answer: Passkey

The 38th president, Gerald Ford served from 1974 to 1977, having replaced Richard Nixon, who resigned from office. The name was sometimes recorded as "Pass Key".

His wife, Betty was "Pinafore".

The Secret Service was founded in 1865 by Allan Pinkerton. By 2019, it had more than 7,000 employees (official website). The Secret Service Memorial records the names of 37 agents who have died (all causes) in the line of duty.

Answer: Searchlight

The only president to have (at time of quiz writing) resigned, Richard Nixon, the 37th, served from 1969 to 1974.

Pat Nixon, his wife, was "Starlight".

While former presidents generally now have Secret Service protection for the remainder of their lives, Nixon relinquished that right in 1985.

Answer: Volunteer

Lyndon Johnson was the vice-president who was sworn into office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He served from 1963 to 1969 and was the 36th president.

Lady Bird Johnson was "Victoria".

JFK had been "Lancer". Kennedy was the fourth sitting US president to be assassinated. Some sources claim there have been more than 30 attempts to kill presidents, presidents-elect, or retired presidents.