The Navy will name two future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers for former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

George W. Bush gave fellow former president Barack Obama a friendly belly tap at the Jan. 9 funeral of Jimmy Carter, and the internet was obsessed with the viral moment.

Ford said he and Carter agreed the US should more directly take on “the Palestinian issue” in order to work toward lasting peace in the Middle East. That ruffled feathers in Washington, according to Ford’s remarks, written so many years ago. It also feels today like a warning that was not sufficiently heeded by the US government.

While the White House publicized the decision, the responsibility and authority to name ships lies squarely in the hands of the Navy secretary.

Today, @USNavy named two future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers as the future USS William J. Clinton (CVN 82) and USS George W. Bush (CVN 83). Like their namesakes, these two future carriers, and the crews who sail them, will work to safeguard our national security, remind… pic.twitter.com/lrLMW8fFFi

Two new U.S. aircraft carriers will be named after former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, President Joe Biden announced Monday.

The latest line of U.S. carriers is named for Gerald R. Ford, and another of the multi-billion-dollar ships bears John F. Kennedy's name.

President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral was filled with personal stories, humorous anecdotes, highlights of the former president’s achievements and touching musical numbers.

Former president George W. Bush took the internet by storm during the 2025 Inauguration of President Donald Trump, where the 43rd president seemed to have a playful moment during the proceedings.

Michelle Obama skipped the ceremony but former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton attended Trump's inauguration.

Former President George W. Bush was spotted at the inauguration of Donald Trump. See pictures of the former president here.

With integrity. With character. As charming as the recollections offered by Carter’s two grandsons were, the most moving eulogy came from a one-time bitter rival of the former president. Carter, a Democrat, and Gerald Ford, a Republican, jousted in the 1976 presidential election, neither man giving nor asking for quarter in the contest.