Barack Obama

Obama defeated John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, becoming the first African American president. His campaign emphasized hope and change, and he won with a broad coalition.

Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, expanding health insurance coverage to millions of Americans. The law included provisions like pre-existing condition protections and insurance marketplaces.

Obama authorized a Navy SEAL operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The raid was a major victory in the War on Terror.

Obama announced a thaw in US-Cuba relations, including the reopening of embassies and easing of travel and trade restrictions. This ended decades of Cold War-era hostility.

Obama committed the United States to the Paris Agreement, a global accord to combat climate change. The agreement aimed to limit global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.