You Won't Believe What Doug Mills Reveals About Capturing the U.S. Presidency! 4 Shocking Secrets Inside!

Doug Mills, a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning senior photographer for The New York Times, captivated students and faculty at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) on February 26 during the annual Larkin Symposium on the American Presidency. His presentation, titled “Capturing the American Presidency,” showcased a remarkable collection of photography featuring seven U.S. presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

Nicole Anslover, a history professor at FAU and moderator for the event, praised Mills, stating, “You are perhaps one of the best eyewitnesses in history. And through your work, we all get to be eyewitnesses to history.” This event is part of FAU’s ongoing celebration of America 250, a nationwide commemoration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. An accompanying exhibition, “America 250: We Hold These Truths, We Walk These Grounds,” featuring Mills’ photography, will be on display at the Schmidt Center Gallery through March 29.

Standing before a packed auditorium in the University Theatre, Mills shared not just photographs, but the stories behind each image. As one of only 13 members in the protective press pool that travels on Air Force One with the president, Mills has entered spaces that many Americans only dream of. He emphasized the importance of neutrality in his work, stating, “My job is straight down the middle. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat. I’m just doing my job. So I have to take pictures of what’s in front of me. Pictures don’t lie.”

For more than four decades, Mills' camera has followed presidents through quiet routines and national crises, capturing moments that define their realities. One of the earliest photos he showed depicted packs of 20 cigarettes, branded with the presidential seal and signature, given to guests during the John F. Kennedy administration. Mills highlighted this image to illustrate cultural shifts in America, explaining how Nancy Reagan replaced the cigarettes with specially designed boxes of red, white, and blue M&M’s after the dangers of smoking became apparent. “Ronald Reagan loved jelly beans,” he noted, showcasing a personal detail that reflects the broader cultural changes during that era.

Another poignant moment captured by Mills featured President Reagan on Air Force One, clad in sweatpants—his preferred attire for longer flights. He explained, “If we had a flight longer than two hours, he’d immediately get into his room and change into sweatpants. He would always wear a shirt and tie and his coat, but he would have sweatpants down below because he didn’t want his pants wrinkled.”

Mills also shared a powerful image of President George W. Bush in a second-grade classroom at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, reading to children. This moment turned dramatic when Bush’s Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, leaned in to inform him that America was under attack on September 11, 2001. Mills remarked that he initially had no idea what Card was whispering, but the raw emotion displayed on Bush's face spoke volumes. He later documented Bush's entire day on 9/11, including the historic moment when Air Force One received its first fighter jet escort.

Another significant photo from Mills’ collection captured a dinner with President Trump and the King of England. He recounted the privilege of being granted special access, which required Trump to request permission. “No member of the press has been down here for over 40 years,” the woman at the event told him, emphasizing the rare opportunity he was afforded.

Mills then displayed an image of President Obama jumping out of a car to engage with locals, describing him as “a chameleon” who could seamlessly fit into various settings. He highlighted a particularly emotional moment from January 2016 when Obama, while announcing executive actions on gun control after multiple mass shootings, visibly cried. “This was the first time I’ve ever seen him cry,” Mills commented.

The presentation concluded with Mills sharing a recent Pulitzer Prize-winning photo capturing the moment of a bullet in mid-air heading towards President Trump’s ear. He revealed that he had urged Trump to allow him to photograph his wounded ear, but Trump refused, seeing it as a sign of weakness.

This year’s symposium coincides with two significant milestones: FAU’s 65th anniversary and the national commemoration of ‘America 250,’ which celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. University leaders noted that events like this one continue FAU’s tradition of intertwining higher education with national civic history.

Mills’ work extends beyond mere documentation; he waits for history to unfold, capturing moments without scripts or commentary. As he noted, “There are no scripts, no commentary, and no panel debates, only moments captured in real time.” For the students at Florida Atlantic University, this lecture served as a reminder that some of the most lasting records of the presidency are not just written—they are seen. To explore more of Doug Mills’ photography, visit the Schmidt Center Gallery, where hand-selected works from his career are on display until March 29, as part of the “America at 250” exhibit.

Emily Ives is the Political Reporter for the University Press. Email her at [email protected] for more information on this and other stories.