George W. Bush is 79 years old. It’s a number that feels a bit jarring if you still picture him dodging shoes in Baghdad or standing on the rubble of the World Trade Center with a megaphone. He was born on July 6, 1946. That makes him part of that specific slice of the Baby Boomer generation that has basically sat in the Oval Office for decades.
Think about it. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump were all born in the exact same year. 1946 was a busy time for future presidents, apparently. But while his peers are often still caught in the gears of active daily politics or legal battles, Bush has drifted into a version of old age that looks remarkably different. He’s not on cable news every night. He isn't tweeting. Honestly, he’s mostly just painting in his bathtub or hanging out at his ranch in Crawford.
The transition from "Dubya" to the elder statesman
When we talk about George W. Bush age, we aren't just talking about a birthdate. We’re talking about the optics of aging in the public eye. He left office in 2009 with some of the lowest approval ratings in modern history. People were tired. The wars were heavy. The economy was a mess. Fast forward a bit, and the gray hair has settled in. The face is a little more lined. Yet, curiously, his public perception has softened.
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Is it just because he’s older? Maybe. There’s a psychological phenomenon where we tend to forgive historical figures as they reach their twilight years. We stop seeing the policy and start seeing the grandfather. He’s often spotted at sporting events, usually sitting next to high-profile figures like Ellen DeGeneres or Michelle Obama, sharing a piece of candy. It’s a deliberate, or perhaps natural, pivot away from the firestorm of the early 2000s.
He stays fit. That’s a big part of the 43rd president’s routine. Even in his late 70s, he’s known for mountain biking. He doesn't just "bike"—he goes on high-intensity rides that would leave people half his age gasping for air. This focus on physical health has kept him looking relatively robust compared to the standard image of an octogenarian.
Painting and the "New" Bush
One of the most surprising things about George W. Bush in his later years is his art. It started as a hobby. He actually told his instructor there was a "Rembrandt trapped in this body." People laughed. Then he released Portraits of Courage. It’s a book of paintings of veterans. It’s actually decent.
He spends hours in his studio. It’s a quiet existence. It’s weird to think that a man who once controlled the most powerful military on earth now spends his afternoons worrying about the shading on a soldier's cheekbone. But that’s the reality of his 70s. He has found a way to process the weight of his presidency through a paintbrush. It's a form of therapy that most people didn't see coming.
Health, Longevity, and the Bush Family Genes
The Bush family tends to live a long time. George H.W. Bush lived to be 94. Barbara Bush lived to 92. If the genetics hold up, George W. Bush likely has another solid decade or two of active life ahead of him. He’s always been an athlete. He was a runner for years until his knees told him to stop. Now it’s the biking and the golf.
He’s had a few health scares, sure. Back in 2013, he had a stent inserted to open a blocked heart artery. It was discovered during a physical at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. He didn't even have symptoms. They just found it. Since then, he’s been pretty meticulous about his cardiac health. You don't get to be 79 and active without a little bit of luck and a lot of discipline.
He lives a structured life. Wake up early. Coffee. Painting. Exercise. Seeing the grandkids. It’s a rhythmic, wealthy, Texan retirement.
What he does with his time now
He isn't totally invisible. He does the George W. Bush Presidential Center work. He shows up for the Warrior Open golf tournament. He’s deeply involved in PEPFAR—the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It’s arguably his greatest legacy, having saved millions of lives in Africa. He still travels there. He still checks in on the clinics.
- Public appearances: Mostly non-partisan or focused on veterans.
- Social life: Deeply private, centered around family in Dallas.
- Politics: He stays out of it. Mostly. He’s made a point not to criticize his successors, a tradition he’s held onto fairly strictly.
It’s a contrast to the current political climate. Everything now is loud. Bush is quiet. His age has afforded him a "get out of jail free" card regarding daily political discourse. When you're 79 and you've already been the leader of the free world, you don't really feel the need to argue on the internet.
The Reality of Aging in Texas
Life in Dallas is different than life in D.C. He lives in a gated community in Preston Hollow. It’s fancy but not ostentatious by former-president standards. He’s often seen at SMU (Southern Methodist University) because that’s where his library is. He’s a fixture of the community, but he’s not a spectacle.
People who run into him say he’s "exactly who you think he is." He’s got the smirk. He’s got the jokes. He’s just older. He’s reached that age where he’s no longer the "decider" in a global sense, but he’s very much the patriarch of the Bush clan.
You have to wonder what he thinks when he looks at the current state of the Republican Party. It’s changed so much since his "Compassionate Conservatism" days. But he doesn't say. He just paints. There’s something almost stoic about it, even if his critics would call it avoidance.
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Legacy and the ticking clock
As George W. Bush age continues to climb, the conversation around him shifts from "what he did" to "how we remember him." History is funny that way. The jagged edges of the Iraq War and Katrina are still there, but they’re being smoothed over by time and his grandfatherly persona.
He’s written memoirs. He’s done the interviews. Now, he’s mostly just living.
How to track his current activities
If you actually want to see what he’s up to, you won't find him on a personal Twitter account. You have to look at the Bush Center’s updates. They post about his work with North Korean refugees and his ongoing support for the men and women of the military.
- Visit the Bush Center in Dallas if you want a deep look at his post-presidency.
- Follow the "The Bush Center" on Instagram for the occasional painting update.
- Look for his annual Christmas cards; they usually feature his own artwork now.
The man is 79. He’s healthy. He’s wealthy. He’s largely at peace. Whether you loved him or hated him during his two terms, there is no denying that he has mastered the art of the "quiet" American retirement. He isn't fighting for relevance because he already had it all, for better or worse.
If you're looking for lessons in his aging process, it's pretty simple: stay active, find a hobby that actually challenges you, and know when to exit the stage. He left the stage and didn't look back. That might be the most "Presidential" thing he’s done in twenty years.
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To understand the full scope of his current life, look into his recent interviews with the Bush Center's "The Catalyst" publication. It gives a much clearer picture of his daily philosophy than any news snippet. Focus on his veteran advocacy programs—that’s where he puts his actual energy these days. If you're visiting Dallas, a trip to his library at SMU is the best way to see how he wants his age and his era to be defined by future generations.