Presidency of Frank Underwood

The Presidency of Frank Underwood began on October 30, 2014, when he became the 46th President of the United States, making him the second person since Gerald R. Ford to have occupied the offices of Vice President of the United States and President of the United States without having been elected to either post until his reelection in 2016, an unusual election where neither Will Conway or Underwood garnered the necessary 270 electoral votes to win since the states of Ohio and Tennessee refused to certify the results. The two states called for a second round in 2017 leading to Underwood's victory. His presidency ended less than a month later as he was forced to resign for his role in the money laundering scandal that brought down his predecessor.

Background

Pardons

Prior to his inauguration as President, Frank offered two people presidential pardons: Raymond Tusk and President Garrett Walker. The pardon offered to Tusk was for his co-operation in not naming Frank in his testimony given to the House Judiciary Committee. Tusk initially rejected the pardon offered by Frank, but when the pardon offered to Tusk by Walker was rescinded, Tusk testified against Walker while not naming Frank, just as Frank initially requested. Frank also promised then-President Garrett Walker that Walker would never see the inside of a jail, indicating he would use a presidential pardon on the former president if necessary. Following Frank's inauguration, Frank followed through with his promises by pardoning former President Walker and Raymond Tusk.

Key Actions and Legislation

China

As of the end of Season 2, the only action we have seen Frank take as President was ending the naval standoff with China. He withdraws American naval vessels from the area, and China likewise withdraws their ships. Part of this deal apparently involves revoking the immunity granted to Xander Feng and handing him over to the Chinese government. Secretary of State Durant warns Frank that this will negatively impact the integrity of the State Department], but Frank makes it clear that ensuring peace with China is far more important to him at that moment.

America Works

Main article: America Works

Frank then decides to begin an ambitious new job program called "America Works" or "AmWorks", a jobs initiative on the scale of former President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. It will end social programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and begin them from the ground up to support the $500,000,000,000 America Works which Frank believes will help create 10 million new jobs, effectively eliminating unemployment in America.

Jordan Valley

When Israel convinces the African Bloc, led by Zimbabwe, to postpone the UN Assembly vote so they don't have to (by means of promising aid), Underwood is forced to supply a larger amount of aid to keep the vote, despite knowing President Chipeti will likely embezzle the majority of it. When it is revealed that Petrov does not want the peacekeeping operation to succeed as it would place American troops within Russia's sphere of influence, Frank is forced to negotiate. He agrees to Petrov's demands, removing the U.S. missile defense system in the Czech Republic to balance the addition of U.S. troops in the valley and to remove Claire Underwood from her position as Ambassador in exchange for continued Russian support in the region.

Michael Corrigan Imprisonment

When LGBT rights activist Michael Corrigan is arrested in Moscow, both Frank Underwood and Claire Underwood fly out to secure his release. Russian President Viktor Petrov agrees to release Corrigan, but only after he reads a statement thanking him for his treatment and denouncing the 'unnatural behavior' he was promoting. When Corrigan refuses, Underwood eventually convinces Petrov to reword the statement and have Frank read it instead of Corrigan. These efforts prove futile as the same evening Corrigan commits suicide with Ambassador Claire Underwood's scarf as she sleeps in his cell.

Personnel

v • d • e Presidents of the United States 1. George Washington • 2. John Adams • 3. Thomas Jefferson • 4. James Madison • 5. James Monroe • 6. John Quincy Adams • 7. Andrew Jackson • 8. Martin Van Buren • 9. William Henry Harrison • 10. John Tyler • 11. James K. Polk • 12. Zachary Taylor • 13. Millard Fillmore • 14. Franklin Pierce • 15. James Buchanan • 16. Abraham Lincoln • 17. Andrew Johnson • 18. Ulysses S. Grant • 19. Rutherford B. Hayes • 20. James A. Garfield • 21. Chester A. Arthur • 22. Grover Cleveland • 23. Benjamin Harrison • 24. Grover Cleveland • 25. William McKinley • 26. Theodore Roosevelt • 27. William Howard Taft • 28. Woodrow Wilson • 29. Warren G. Harding • 30. Calvin Coolidge • 31. Herbert Hoover • 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt • 33. Harry S. Truman • 34. Dwight D. Eisenhower • 35. John F. Kennedy • 36. Lyndon B. Johnson • 37. Richard Nixon • 38. Gerald Ford • 39. Jimmy Carter • 40. • Ronald Reagan • 41. George H. W. Bush • 42. Bill Clinton • 43. George W. Bush • 44. Barack Obama• 45. Garrett Walker • 46. Frank Underwood • 47. Claire Underwood