For years, the political punditry declared the Bush dynasty a fading relic, its brand of “compassionate conservatism” seemingly eclipsed by a more populist, aggressive strain of Republicanism. Yet, in the tumultuous political climate of 2025, whispers have begun to circulate: “The Bush is back.” This isn’t merely about a return of familiar faces to power, but rather a complex interplay of a new generation’s ambitions, the enduring advocacy of elder statesmen, and a re-evaluation of specific “Bush-era” conservative principles against the backdrop of contemporary political realignment.
The Bush Family’s Enduring Political Presence
While the direct electoral power of the Bush family may have shifted since its presidential heyday, the year 2025 reveals a persistent, albeit evolving, engagement with American politics, encompassing both direct candidacies and influential advocacy. The family, which has played a prominent role in American politics since the 1950s, has produced two presidents and held numerous national and state offices across four generations.
A New Generation’s Ambitions: Jonathan and George P. Bush
The most tangible sign of a potential “Bush return” in electoral politics comes from a younger generation. Jonathan Bush, a cousin of former President George W. Bush, is reportedly taking steps towards a gubernatorial campaign in Maine ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. This move suggests a fresh attempt to revitalize the family’s political dynasty in a Democratic-leaning state with an independent streak.
Meanwhile, George P. Bush, son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and nephew of George W. Bush, continues to signal his long-term political ambitions. After losing the Texas attorney general GOP primary in 2022, he stated in January 2023 that he is “keeping the door open” for a return to politics, emphasizing that “timing wasn’t right” then but that at 46, future opportunities remain. George P. Bush previously served two terms as Texas Land Commissioner, representing the fourth generation of the family to hold elected office. Notably, his political approach has been described as aligning more with Donald Trump’s brand of conservatism, a significant departure from the traditional “kinder and gentler” Bush image, as he attempts to navigate the modern Republican party landscape.
Elder Statesmen and Continued Advocacy: George W. and Jeb Bush
Even without direct electoral campaigns, the elder statesmen of the Bush family maintain a presence through their institutions and public commentary.
Former President George W. Bush, through the George W. Bush Presidential Center and its Bush Institute, remains an active voice on domestic and foreign policy. In January 2025, the Bush Institute released policy recommendations for the incoming Trump Administration and Congress, rooted in “compassionate conservative values.” These recommendations covered pressing issues such as reforming the immigration system, managing migration surges at the U.S.-Mexico border, strengthening democracy, and supporting veterans.
Furthermore, in March 2025, the George W. Bush Presidential Center publicly criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of the Ukraine crisis, emphasizing that supporting Ukraine aligns with an “America First” agenda and that “dictators oppose American interests.” This stance highlights a continuing adherence to a more interventionist foreign policy that prioritizes democratic values and international alliances, often seen as a hallmark of the Bush presidencies, and distinct from some isolationist or transactional aspects of “America First” populism.
Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida, continues his involvement in education reform, chairing the Foundation for Excellence in Education. In February 2025, he advocated for the federal government to support states by block-granting federal education funds, allowing maximum flexibility for states to align resources with local priorities, and creating federal tax credits for education scholarships to expand school choice. These policy positions reflect his long-standing conservative principles of limited government and market-based solutions in education.
Ideological Resurgence: “Bush-Era” Conservatism in 2025
The notion of “The Bush Is Back” also extends beyond individuals to a re-examination or quiet resurgence of specific ideological tenets historically associated with the family. While “Bush-style conservatism” has often been considered “on the outs” in the current GOP, overshadowed by the populist movement, certain elements persist or are being reconsidered.
The Compassionate Conservative Legacy and Policy Recommendations
The George W. Bush Institute, guided by “compassionate conservative values,” continues to advocate for policies aimed at creating “positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad.” Their 2025 policy recommendations underscore this approach, focusing on pragmatic solutions for issues like immigration, a balanced trade policy, and veteran support. This framework seeks to blend conservative principles with social responsibility, a distinction from the more hardline stances often seen in other conservative factions.
Neoconservatism Re-examined: Foreign Policy and Global Leadership
A particularly notable area of re-evaluation is “neoconservatism,” a foreign policy approach strongly associated with the George W. Bush administration and its post-9/11 “war on terror.” In 2025, foreign policy circles in Berlin are reportedly re-engaging with former Bush administration figures like Condoleezza Rice and John Bolton. This renewed attention, particularly from European allies, appears to stem from a “shared disdain of the Trump administration” and a desire for advice on “renewing US global leadership.”
However, this re-examination is not without its critics. Observers note that the Trump administration’s skepticism towards international norms did not emerge in a vacuum, but rather from years of “systematic disparagement of norms” by some of these same former officials. The Iraq War, in particular, is widely described as a “catastrophic miscalculation” that weakened international law and stability, highlighting the contentious legacy of this foreign policy doctrine. The Bush Institute itself, while promoting global leadership, emphasizes promoting democracy and confronting adversaries, aligning with a more traditional internationalist conservative worldview.
The Broader Conservative Movement: Distinguishing “Bush” from “Trump”
The political landscape of 2025 is dominated by a broader conservative movement that, in many ways, has moved significantly beyond the traditional Bush paradigm. This shift makes any “return” of the Bush influence distinct and, at times, in opposition to prevailing trends.
Populist Waves and the “America First” Agenda
The modern Republican Party has been largely defined by the populist, “America First” agenda championed by Donald Trump. This approach prioritizes national interests, often with a skeptical view of international alliances and global engagement, a stark contrast to the internationalist outlook of the Bush family. The George W. Bush Presidential Center’s direct criticism of Trump’s Ukraine policy in March 2025 exemplifies this ideological divergence, underscoring differing views on America’s role in global conflicts and support for allies.
Project 2025 and the Future of the Republican Party
A significant development shaping the conservative agenda in 2025 is “Project 2025,” an extensive initiative by the Heritage Foundation and a coalition of over 100 conservative groups. This project outlines a detailed blueprint for a conservative presidential administration, aiming to dismantle the “administrative state” by replacing civil servants with ideologically aligned appointees, restricting abortion access, opposing LGBTQ+ rights, and imposing strict immigration policies.
While Donald Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025, many of its proposals align closely with his stated policy goals. This blueprint represents a more radical, centralized vision for conservative governance than the “compassionate conservatism” espoused by the Bush Institute, which focuses more on policy recommendations and strengthening democratic institutions rather than a wholesale overhaul of the federal bureaucracy.
Public Sentiment and the Bush Brand
Public opinion in 2025 also reflects a complex dynamic. A Gallup poll in October 2025 indicated that a record-high 62% of Americans believe the federal government has too much power, a sentiment that resonates with core conservative principles, albeit with partisan differences. Republicans are slightly less likely to express this view when a Republican is in the White House, while Democrats show the opposite trend. This generalized distrust of expansive government could, in theory, create an opening for a return to some traditional conservative principles championed by the Bush family, such as fiscal conservatism and limited government, which Jeb Bush exemplified as governor.
However, the “Bush brand” itself has faced challenges in the era of Trump, with “Bush-style conservatism” often perceived as out of step with the modern GOP’s base. The younger generation of Bushes, like George P. Bush, have seemingly adapted by embracing elements of Trumpian conservatism to remain politically viable.
The phrase “The Bush Is Back in 2025” is thus less a declarative statement of a full-scale political revival and more an invitation to consider the nuanced ways the Bush family and its associated ideologies continue to exert influence. From new political campaigns by a younger generation to the ongoing advocacy and distinct foreign policy perspectives of the Bush Institute, elements of the Bush legacy are undeniably present. However, this presence often navigates a dramatically altered conservative landscape, one largely shaped by populist forces that have, in many ways, moved beyond the traditional Bush paradigm, even as some of its core tenets find renewed relevance in unexpected conversations.