Who was the American president during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

The American president during the Cuban Missile Crisis was John F. Kennedy. This pivotal moment in Cold War history occurred in October 1962, when the United States discovered that the Soviet Union was placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from Florida. Kennedy's administration faced intense pressure to respond to this direct threat. He took a measured approach, opting for a naval blockade and public negotiations rather than immediate military action, which ultimately led to a de-escalation of the crisis. Kennedy’s leadership during this tense period is often credited with averting a potential nuclear conflict. The other presidents listed were not in office during the crisis: Eisenhower served prior to Kennedy, Johnson took over after Kennedy was assassinated, and Nixon served later in the 1960s and early 1970s.