Presidency of Frank Underwood

Presidency of Frank Underwood
	October 30, 2014 – January 20, 2017; February 17, 2017 – March 15, 2017
Vice President	Donald Blythe (2015-2017); Claire Underwood (2017)
Election	2016
Party	Democratic
	← Garrett Walker • Claire Underwood →
	Seal of the President

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 Tusk initially rejected the pardon offered by Frank, but when the pardon offered to Tusk by Walker was rescinded, Tusk testified against Walker while not naming Frank, just as Frank initially requested.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

The official portrait of Frank Underwood.

Frank attempts to forge a deal with Russian President Viktor Petrov to form a joint peacekeeping operation in the Jordan Valley. His initial proposals are rejected by Petrov during his state visit, and both the Palestinian Ambassador and Israeli Ambassador Eliana Caspi react negatively to the U.S. attempting to intervene without consulting them. When eight Russian troops are killed by an IED in the Jordan Valley, President Underwood authorizes a black ops mission to gather intel, as the Russians are restricting access to the site. This fails and results in the death of a U.S. Navy SEAL at the hand of Russian troops in a case of friendly fire.

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 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

The Underwood Cabinet
Office	Name	Term
President	Frank Underwood	2014 - 2017
Vice President	Donald Blythe	2015 - 2017
Vice President	Claire Underwood	2017
Secretary of State	Catherine Durant	2014 - 2017
Secretary of Treasury	Michael Kern	2014 - 2017
Attorney General	Martha Wilson	2014 - 2017
Secretary of Health and Human Services	Meredith Lee	2014- 2017
Ambassador to the United Nations	Claire Underwood	2015 - 2015
Ambassador to the United Nations	Francesca Gerlach	2017	5x06
Chief of Staff	Remy Danton	2014 - 2015
Chief of Staff	Doug Stamper	2015 - 2017
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Marvin Ruffin, Jr.	2017	5x06
Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Vasilios Tanis	2017	5x06
Director of National Intelligence	Admiral Vanessa Morrison	2014 - 2017
Director of Communications	Seth Grayson	2014 - 2017
Press Secretary	Seth Grayson	2014 - 2017
Ambassador for the United States Trade Representative	Joshua Slates	2017	5x06

Political offices
Preceded by Garrett Walker	President of the United States October 30, 2014-March 15, 2017	Succeeded by Claire Underwood