Which President Had a Stroke and His Wife Functionally Ran the Country?

The president who suffered a severe stroke, after which his wife took on an unprecedented role in functionally running the Executive branch, was Woodrow Wilson.

The Presidency of Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, served from 1913 to 1921. His presidency was marked by significant domestic reforms, including the establishment of the Federal Reserve and the Federal Trade Commission, and his leadership during World War I, culminating in his efforts to create the League of Nations.

The Stroke and Its Profound Impact

In October 1919, while advocating tirelessly for the League of Nations across the country, President Wilson suffered a severe stroke. This debilitating event left him partially paralyzed and largely incapacitated for the remainder of his term. The true extent of his illness was kept largely secret from the public, Congress, and even many in his own administration.

Edith Wilson's Unprecedented Role as "First Lady Regent"

Following the President's stroke, his second wife, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, stepped into an extraordinary and unprecedented role. Serving as First Lady from 1915 to 1921, she became the gatekeeper to the presidency.

Edith Wilson took on the critical responsibility of managing the affairs of state during her husband's incapacitation. She pre-screened all matters of state, determining which issues were important enough to bring to the ailing President's attention and often filtering or interpreting information presented to him. In essence, she was functionally running the Executive branch of government for the remainder of Wilson's second term, which concluded in March 1921.

Key Aspects of Her Management:

• Controlling Access: She rigorously controlled who could see the President, ensuring only essential visitors were permitted and often acting as the sole conduit for information.
• Reviewing Documents: All official documents and correspondence passed through her hands first, allowing her to prioritize, summarize, or even discard items before they reached her husband.
• Relaying Information: She would relay presidential directives or decisions, often after brief consultations with her husband, effectively acting as his chief of staff and proxy.
• Maintaining Stability: Her actions were aimed at maintaining the illusion of a functioning presidency and preventing a constitutional crisis regarding presidential disability, a situation for which the Constitution had no clear guidelines at the time.

Historical Significance and Legacy

Edith Wilson's de facto stewardship of the presidency remains a unique episode in American history. Her actions, while controversial to some, were viewed by others as essential to maintaining the stability of the government during a critical period of presidential incapacity. Her role highlighted the lack of clear constitutional provisions for presidential disability before the ratification of the 25th Amendment in 1967.

For more details on Edith Bolling Galt Wilson's role, you can refer to the White House historical resources: Edith Bolling Galt Wilson