The Most Badass Movie Presidents Ever

For decades, politically minded action movies often involve the President of the United States (fictional ones, usually). While most POTUSes need to be rescued from evil terrorists or rivals, there are times when the Big Cheese takes matters into their own hands. You don’t get to win the Electoral College without making a few enemies, after all.

In Section 3 of the United States Constitution, which details a few critical duties of the President of the United States (POTUS), one passage reads: “He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.” What it doesn’t say is that, also from time to time, the president shall roll up their sleeves and open a can of whoop-ass. And we’ve seen people assume the role of president in movies and have to save the country by any means necessary.

As Donald Trump returns to office as the 47th President, it’s a good time to look at some cinematic chief executives to remember what responsibility, initiative, and cunning look like. From disaster epics to alien invasions, here are 13 of the most badass presidents in action movies.