--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people around the President have…" description: "\"Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/donald-rumsfeld-1507_egos_many-people-around-the-president-have-si_1439845.jpg" --- # Many people around the President have sizeable egos before… ![“Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos.” quote by Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/donald-rumsfeld-1507_egos_many-people-around-the-president-have-si_1439845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/donald-rumsfeld-1507_egos_many-people-around-the-president-have-si_1439845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/donald-rumsfeld-1507_egos_many-people-around-the-president-have-si_1439845.jpg) > “Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. Their new positions will do little to moderate their egos.” [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Large egos often persist despite new roles, as status and self‑image are hard to change. **In simple terms:** Egos stay big even after getting power. Key Takeaway Recognize ego’s influence and check humility. Themes power ego politics Mood cautious critical Type political observational When to use this quote - campaigns - office entry - policy negotiations - leadership meetings Key Concepts self‑perception status humility Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect self‑view? - What safeguards reduce ego‑driven decisions? A Different Perspective Ego may be mitigated by strong institutional checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Egos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egos/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [I am confident, with the leadership and the backing of the American people, President Obama will turn this country around,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-am-confident-with-the-leadership-and-the-backing-of-the-american/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [When most people become president, even if you disagree with their ideology, you can still agree that they would have the competence to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-most-people-become-president-even-if-you-disagree-with-their/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Two people will never be President in my lifetime. A woman and a black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evers/two-people-will-never-be-president-in-my-lifetime-a-woman-and-a-black/) [Charles Evers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evers/) > [ I think you have to take the man and say to yourself, \[Donald Trump\] is someone who wants to occupy the Oval Office, where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-you-have-to-take-the-man-and-say-to-yourself-donald-trump-is/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I did not become president to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-did-not-become-president-to-be-popular-to-work-to-lead-to-protect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For a bill to become law, it truly has to be the will of the people, and for a president to stop the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/for-a-bill-to-become-law-it-truly-has-to-be-the-will-of-the-people/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [My role in the White House was grossly exaggerated by the press. Fortunately for the American people, when the president had to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-jordan/my-role-in-the-white-house-was-grossly-exaggerated-by-the-press/) [Hamilton Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-jordan/) > [People who run for president seriously and people who become president enter a bizarre secret society in which they have had an experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/people-who-run-for-president-seriously-and-people-who-become/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Well, when did this become a monarchy? You know, we are the people. The president works for us and, you know, we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/well-when-did-this-become-a-monarchy-you-know-we-are-the-people-the/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“The people always meant some people and not others (the president uses the word in this way), encounters were always struggles (the president says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-people-always-meant-some-people-and-not-others-the-president-uses/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] himself has said he thought part of his job was to remind the American people that being president and commander… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-president-barack-obama-himself-has-said-he-thought-part-of-his/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It matters to people that the president tell them the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/it-matters-to-people-that-the-president-tell-them-the-truth/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [When I am with French people, I am not aloof because I belong to them. My view is that the French president belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-macron/when-i-am-with-french-people-i-am-not-aloof-because-i-belong-to-them/) [Emmanuel Macron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-macron/) > [The United States is too big and we are too involved with too many people for any president to be able to take actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-united-states-is-too-big-and-we-are-too-involved-with-too-many/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [There was not a word of apology, not a word of explanation to the American people, ... The president's going to have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-reid/there-was-not-a-word-of-apology-not-a-word-of-explanation-to-the/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-reid/) ## More by Donald Rumsfeld > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-believe-anyone-that-i-know-in-the-administration-ever-said/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [I don't think we'll discover anything, myself. I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-don-t-think-we-ll-discover-anything-myself-i-think-what-will-happen/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Members of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate are not there by accident. Each managed to get there for some reason. Learn what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/members-of-the-u-s-house-and-the-u-s-senate-are-not-there-by-accident/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The Federal Government should be the last resort, not the first. Ask if a potential program is truly a federal responsibility or whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-federal-government-should-be-the-last-resort-not-the-first-ask-if/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don't tell him the truth. Others won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-price-of-being-close-to-the-president-is-delivering-bad-news-you/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn't walk in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-speak-ill-of-your-predecessors-or-successors-you-didn-t-walk-in/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [If you can't solve a problem, make it bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/if-you-can-t-solve-a-problem-make-it-bigger/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/enjoy-your-time-in-public-service-it-may-well-be-one-of-the-most/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [There will be good moments, and there will be less good moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/there-will-be-good-moments-and-there-will-be-less-good-moments/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [From where you sit, the White House may look as untidy as the inside of a stomach. As is said of the legislative process,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/from-where-you-sit-the-white-house-may-look-as-untidy-as-the-inside/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [You will launch many projects, but have time to finish only a few. So think, plan, develop, launch and tap good people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/you-will-launch-many-projects-but-have-time-to-finish-only-a-few-so/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [What is the value of having millions of people in Iraq not having a repressive regime? What is the value of having the Iraqi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/what-is-the-value-of-having-millions-of-people-in-iraq-not-having-a/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Don't be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the President or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/don-t-be-a-bottleneck-if-a-matter-is-not-a-decision-for-the-president/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When you're skiing, if you're not falling you're not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/when-you-re-skiing-if-you-re-not-falling-you-re-not-trying/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) [Explore all 234 Donald Rumsfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) ## More Egos quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [You've noticed a change huh ? She doesn't text you as often . She never calls you anymore . When she does text you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delaney-ridnour/you-ve-noticed-a-change-huh-she-doesn-t-text-you-as-often-she-never/) [Delaney Ridnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delaney-ridnour/) > [“Men tend to think all of their points were good, and they sure as hell didn’t need me to boost their already inflated egos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-rain/men-tend-to-think-all-of-their-points-were-good-and-they-sure-as-hell/) [J.R. Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-rain/) > [People expect not just songwriters but all personalities to pontificate about their egos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/people-expect-not-just-songwriters-but-all-personalities-to/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I think maybe Mr. Sinise and Mr. Bacon have slightly bigger egos than I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-roberts/i-think-maybe-mr-sinise-and-mr-bacon-have-slightly-bigger-egos-than-i/) [Eric Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-roberts/) > [I'm just trying to rid the world of all these fevered egos that are tainting our collective unconscious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-just-trying-to-rid-the-world-of-all-these-fevered-egos-that-are/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [The truth is that while men, in our society, are encouraged to have strong egos and to function in competitive, aggressive, intellectualized modes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/the-truth-is-that-while-men-in-our-society-are-encouraged-to-have/) [Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/) > [“Science is full of egos and arrogance, but it is fuller of simple moments of pleasure at the joy of finding some gem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dunn/science-is-full-of-egos-and-arrogance-but-it-is-fuller-of-simple/) [Rob Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dunn/) > [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/) [truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I came from the music business, which reputedly has the biggest egos, but I really think the airline world caps it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fernandes/i-came-from-the-music-business-which-reputedly-has-the-biggest-egos/) [Tony Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fernandes/) > [“Peace and happiness are powerful weapons against the Egos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belsebuub/peace-and-happiness-are-powerful-weapons-against-the-egos/) [Belsebuub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belsebuub/) > [In such a therapeutic, pragmatic, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps society as ours, the message of God having to do all the work in saving us comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/in-such-a-therapeutic-pragmatic-pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [“God must have put men on the Earth with a surplus of social advantages because it was their only hope of surviving their incapacitating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-arend/god-must-have-put-men-on-the-earth-with-a-surplus-of-social/) [Vivian Arend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-arend/) > [Egos turn me off, big time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/egos-turn-me-off-big-time/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [Politicians have such large egos that it usually takes them an inordinately long time to grasp when they've become a pathetic joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/politicians-have-such-large-egos-that-it-usually-takes-them-an/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) [Browse all 189 Egos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egos/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many people around the President have sizeable egos before entering government, some with good reason. 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