I asked ChatGPT, DeepSeek and other AI chatbots for 25 unusual facts about U.S. presidents for Presidents' Day

(Image credit: ANDREY DENISYUK / Getty Images)

In the spirit of Presidents' Day in the United States, I asked 5 chatbots for 5 unusual facts about the history of the presidents in the United States. As a bonus, I threw in a response from Google Learn About, the AI conversational learning companion designed to help users of all ages and education levels expand their knowledge.

I used the same prompt for each chatbot: “Tell me 5 unusual facts about the history of presidents in the United States?”

The chatbots shared some lesser-known facts and intriguing anecdotes from the lives of lives of U.S. presidents, highlighting the diverse personalities and unexpected moments that have shaped the nation's history. The most repeated fact was the fact that William Henry Harrison had the shortest presidency, lasting only 31 days. This was mentioned by Grok, Perplexity, and Google Learn About.

The chatbot with the most unique facts was surprisingly DeepSeek. It provided several unique facts not mentioned by others, including John Quincy Adams' skinny-dipping habit, William Howard Taft's oversized bathtub, Theodore Roosevelt's bullet-defying speech, and Calvin Coolidge's pet raccoon.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT shared the following facts:

1. James Garfield's ambidextrous ability to write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other.

2. Three presidents—John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe—died on July 4th.

3. Martin Van Buren was the first president born after the Declaration of Independence and the only one for whom English was a second language; his first language was Dutch.

4. Herbert Hoover and his wife learned Mandarin Chinese while he worked in China; they would later speak it in the White House to prevent eavesdropping.

5. Andrew Jackson had a pet parrot named Poll, which he taught to curse; the bird reportedly had to be removed from Jackson's funeral because it was swearing loudly.

DeepSeek

DeepSeek shared the following facts:

1. Andrew Jackson's swearing parrot disrupted his funeral with profanities.

2. John Quincy Adams had a daily routine of skinny-dipping in the Potomac River; a journalist once sat on his clothes to force an interview.

3. William Howard Taft, who weighed over 300 pounds, had a custom-made bathtub installed in the White House that could fit four people.

4. During a 1912 campaign speech, Theodore Roosevelt was shot in the chest but continued his 84-minute speech despite the bullet lodged in his ribs.

5. Calvin Coolidge kept a pet raccoon named Rebecca in the White House, originally sent as a gift for Thanksgiving dinner but instead adopted as a pet.

Claude

Claude shared the following facts:

1. President John Tyler (1841-1845) still has living grandchildren today in 2025 due to late-in-life children and grandchildren.

2. Martin Van Buren's first language was Dutch, making him the only U.S. president whose first language wasn't English.

3. William Howard Taft became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after his presidency, the only person to hold both positions.

4. Andrew Johnson never went to school and didn't learn to write until after he was married; his wife taught him to read and write when he was around 17.

5. James Madison was the smallest president in U.S. history, standing at about 5'4" and weighing approximately 100 pounds.

Grok

Grok shared the following facts:

1. Warren G. Harding and William Henry Harrison were both born on November 2. A disproportionate number of recent U.S. Presidents have been left-handed, including Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.

3. James Buchanan was the only U.S. President who never married; his niece, Harriet Lane, served as First Lady during his presidency.

4. Andrew Jackson was known for his dueling and fought in multiple duels, one resulting in him killing Charles Dickinson in 1806.

5. William Henry Harrison holds the record for the shortest presidency, dying just 31 days after his inauguration; Franklin D. Roosevelt served the longest, with four terms from 1933 to 1945.

Perplexity

Perplexity shared the following facts:

1. Gerald Ford was a model before becoming president.

2. William Henry Harrison had the shortest presidency in U.S. history, lasting only 32 days.

3. James Buchanan was the only bachelor to serve as president; his niece performed the role of White House hostess during his term.

4. Benjamin Harrison was afraid of electric light switches and would have staff turn the lights on and off for him.

5. John Quincy Adams only agreed to speak with journalist Anne Royall after she commandeered his clothes during one of his daily baths in the Potomac River.

Google Learn About

Google Learn About shared the following facts:

1. John Quincy Adams, the son of John Adams, became the sixth U.S. president.

2. Two presidents, William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison, shared the same name.

3. William Henry Harrison died just 31 days after taking office, making him the president with the shortest tenure in U.S. history.

4. Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president, was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1868 but was acquitted by the Senate.

5. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. president, was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in 1865.

Conclusion

Although the chatbots came up with a variety of facts for Presidents’ Day, they each shared at least one fact that the other chatbots didn’t have, making this a useful experiment. By utilizing each chatbot for information, I was able to cast a wider net and ultimately gain a greater scope of knowledge. This experiment further emphasizes the purpose and usefulness of each agent.

This information not only sheds light on the personal lives of America's leaders but also humanizes the figures who have shaped the nation's history. By exploring these lesser-known stories, I’ve gained a richer understanding of the diverse personalities that have occupied the White House, plus a few conversation starters that I can use throughout the day.