Which US President said: 'I am president of the United States, and I am not going to eat any more broccoli. My mother made me eat it'

It sounded like a punchline from a television sitcom, not a remark from the renowned leader. In March 1990, laughter broke out in the White House briefing room when a sitting US president openly declared his dislike for broccoli. The comment quickly made headlines, turning a simple food preference into a pop culture moment. But behind the humour was a man whose childhood shaped both his personality and his public life.

George H. W. Bush's broccoli comment

The president was George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. According to reporters present at the time, reported by CBC, Bush explained that he had disliked broccoli ever since he was a child and had even instructed his chefs not to serve it anymore.



He said, "I do not like broccoli, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m president of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli." - March 22, 1990.

The press corps laughed, giving the moment a light-hearted feel that stood out during his presidency.

All you need to know about George and his childhood

George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. As per records cited by the Miller Center, he grew up in a privileged household, but wealth did not translate into indulgence. His parents, Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush, were strict about values. They believed strongly in modest living, discipline, and public service, principles that defined Bush’s early years.

When George was still young, the family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut. His father, an investment banker, would later become a Republican senator from Connecticut, serving from 1952 to 1963. Even before politics entered the household formally, the Bush children were raised with the idea that they were expected to contribute to society rather than simply benefit from their family name.

Bush’s childhood was marked by structure and responsibility. He attended Phillips Academy Andover, an elite boarding school in Massachusetts. There, he stood out not just academically but also as a leader. He captained sports teams and served as senior class president. He graduated in 1942, on his 18th birthday.

That same day, he made a decision that further showed his upbringing. He enlisted in the United States Navy, choosing service over comfort. During World War II, he became the youngest naval aviator at the time, flying 58 combat missions in the Pacific, as per the same report. His wartime experiences, including reportedly being shot down and rescued by a US submarine, reinforced the sense of duty instilled in him as a child. He later received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery.

George H. W. Bush often spoke about wanting America to be a “kinder and gentler nation,” a phrase that echoed the lessons he learned at home. Even his famous broccoli comment, light as it was, hinted at childhood memories that stayed with him into adulthood. Several reports also stated that California broccoli farmers famously responded by sending a truckload of broccoli to the White House, which First Lady Barbara Bush accepted graciously.

For the unversed, when George was still in the Navy, he tied the knot with Barbara Pierce on January 6, 1945, in Rye, New York. In 2018, President George H.W. Bush died on November 30, at the age of 94, at his home in Houston, Texas.