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While Steve Rogers is the most recognized figure to don the Captain America suit, he isn’t the only one to have taken up the shield. At times, a new Captain America was needed, not due to Rogers’ absence but because he chose to step down, distancing himself from representing the U.S. government. This significant moment unfolds in a 1974 storyline, where Rogers abandons his Captain America identity after discovering the U.S. President’s involvement in a criminal conspiracy.
Marvel Comics
The president’s identity remains obscured, but writer Steve Englehart intended for readers to infer it was the disgraced President Richard Nixon. In a 2017 interview with Newsarama, Englehart confirmed, “I was reacting to Watergate,” referencing the infamous scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation. As Marvel Comics often mirrors real-world events, Englehart believed that Captain America needed to address such governmental corruption.
Englehart admitted, “Some of it was just luck and timing – if Nixon had been convicted sooner, my story might have been outdated. But it seemed like the scandal would persist, so I seized the opportunity.” He expressed doubt about the storyline’s feasibility today, even with figures like Donald Trump, who faced impeachment twice. Englehart remarked, “Back then, there was a genuine sense of idealism. The notion of a U.S. president committing such a crime was unimaginable.”
The “Secret Empire” plot isn’t the only occasion where Steve Rogers has engaged with the White House setting. Within various comic arcs and outside the MCU, Captain America has even ventured into politics, twice assuming the presidency. The first occasion was in 1980’s “Captain America” #250, where a political movement tries to convince the hero to run for the presidency.
Although Rogers rejects the idea in 1980, he does participate in a presidential race in a 21st-century storyline set in the alternate Ultimate Universe. In “Ultimate Comics: Ultimates” #15, a national crisis triggers an emergency write-in presidential election, and Steve Rogers emerges victorious, becoming the President of the United States amidst a story of internal strife and the resurgence of Hydra.
Captain America ran for Prez multiple times
Marvel Comics
Steve Rogers’ presidential role isn’t confined to the comics. In the “What If…?” animated series, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, viewers witness an alternate timeline where Rogers takes the oath of office. While his presidency is not extensively explored, the scene raises intriguing possibilities. With rumors suggesting that “Avengers: Secret Wars” could introduce myriad new realities, perhaps Chris Evans could reprise his role as President Cap in live-action, illustrating that in the Marvel Universe, the possibilities are limitless.
Though Cap ultimately dismisses the notion of running for office in 1980, he does run in a 21st-century storyline in the alternate continuity known as the Ultimate Universe. It all went down in “Ultimate Comics: Ultimates” #15, when a national crisis prompts an emergency write-in vote for a new American president, and Steve Rogers wins, stepping in as President of the United States. It’s part of a massive storyline that sees America torn apart from within, with Hydra rearing its ugly head once more.
That’s not the only time we’ve seen Steve Rogers become President of the United States, though, and the other came on screen. And believe it or not, it’s in a story that’s set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as part of the “What If…?” animated series. Granted, we don’t see much of him as president, but Steve Rogers is seen taking the oath of office on television in an alternate timeline. Could something like that play out in live-action, with Chris Evans returning to play President Cap? With rumors of “Avengers: Secret Wars” introducing countless new realities, anything is possible.
