When it comes to politics, it has a way of intriguing us, regardless of how we perceive the subject. While diplomats can work with a personal agenda, others pour out their hearts and souls into the well-being of society.

Here, we have concocted a list of 30 diplomats who have put the whole political scene behind them. Some you may know, while the others—not so much. If you’d like to find out what politicians’ lives seem like post-retirement and the things they do, we suggest you keep on reading.

Bill Clinton – 73 – President

Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the US, who, after earning a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, started his journey. His first accomplishment was becoming the Attorney General of Arkansas. Clinton later reached the highest possible rank in politics by serving as president for two terms, ending in 2001.

His wife, Hilary Clinton ran for president in 2016, but Donald Trump won as you already know. According to Newsweek, both Clinton and his wife are unhappy about their estrangement from politics. However, given Clinton’s health, a life free of political drama is ideal so he could keep busy by focusing on lesser complicated endeavors like the Clinton Foundation.

George W. Bush – 73 – President

George W. Bush succeeded Clinton at the Oval Office. Bush had been president for less than a year when the 9/11 attacks took place. It was probably the most challenging phase during both his terms in office, besides the Iraq war.

Today, over a decade after the presidency, Bush is viewed by many as a knowledgeable superior in the country. He resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife of 43 years, Laura Welch. In 2013, Bush established the George W. Bush Presidential Center, which is a library and museum, located at Southern Methodist University. As an avid golfer in the past, Bush can now follow the sport as a hobby.

Barack Obama – 58 – President

If there’s one ex-president who has put politics behind him, it’s Barack Obama. Between the years 2009 and 2017, when he was president, Obama served well and won the hearts of millions. Today, he and Michelle Obama are keeping themselves busy by engaging in multiple projects.

After leaving The White House, the family dropped $8.1 million on a Washington D.C. mansion, where they currently reside. The power couple signed a $65 million contract in 2017 to publish their memoirs, and are also working with Netflix to make films and series via their very own Higher Ground Productions company. The Obamas are also living the dream by vacationing in all continents.

Hillary Clinton – 72 – First Lady

Hillary Clinton suffered a significant loss a few years back when she competed in the 2016 presidential election. While the political mogul is supposedly upset about the defeat (as per Newsweek), it seems as though she has moved on to other ventures such as writing and acting.

Now, when we say acting, we don’t mean Hollywood. A documentary named Hillary came out recently, in which Clinton was the main star (obviously). Furthermore, the Chappaqua resident co-authored a book with her daughter, which was called The Book of Gutsy Women. Not only that. According to The Oprah Magazine, Clinton will continue to address her followers through a soon-to-be-released podcast.

Bob Smith – 79 – Senator

After graduating from Lafayette College, Bob Smith served in the US Navy Reserve, before settling down in New Hampshire. Hence why he is often referred to as the “New Hampshire politician.” He was in the US House of Representatives for half a decade before becoming a senator.

Senatorship was the highest title Smith obtained as a politician. He served for two terms, ran for re-election for the third term, which ended up being a failed attempt. Today, he continues to promote environmentalist values from his brief chairmanship in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Joe Liberman – 78 – Senator

As it appears, many political moguls have, at some point, attended Yale University. Joe Lieberman is one of them. With a political career that goes as far back to the late ’60s, Lieberman worked as a senator for three terms. Even though Lieberman had plans to run for president in the 2004 election, he dropped out.

While those days are long gone, the 78-year-old’s current work is pretty interesting. He now works as a lobbyist for ZTE—the same company he denounced while still in office. In addition to his work, the father of four is undoubtedly backing his son, who ran for Senate in 2019.

John Kerry – 76 – Secretary Of State

John Kerry was the 68th United States Secretary of State who held the tenure under Barack Obama’s government. Long before that, he competed against George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election. Having done some impressive work, Kerry’s occupancy as Secretary of Senate ended in 2017 with the change in the presidency.

Nevertheless, Kerry, who resides in Boston, has managed to keep himself busy so far. The 76-year-old has been serving as the chairman of the Bank of America Global Advisory Council since 2017. Moreover, Kerry published his memoir “Every Day Is Extra” and launched the World War Zero coalition recently.

Chuck Hagel – 73 – Secretary Of Defense

For two years under Obama’s administration, Chuck Hagel served as the Secretary of Defense (24th in history). Before pursuing a career in politics, Hagel worked as a news presenter and talk show host on radio. However, in 1971, he began a journey that would make him a political icon in the US decades later.

Since resigning from the Secretary of Defense position, Hagel has been away from the spotlight. Therefore, we’re not entirely certain about what he’s been up to. We hope he is enjoying his retirement in peace and spending extra time with his family at their residence in McLean, Virginia.

Tom Daschle – 72 – Senator

As Tom Daschle was the first person in his family to graduate from university, we assume he is also the first to reach such great heights, career-wise. He served as a senator representing South Dakota between the years 1987 and 2005.

Since leaving office, Daschle’s priorities have shifted as he currently focuses on The Daschle Group, a strategic advisory firm founded by yours truly. In addition to that, he is also an author and a lobbyist for Capitol Hill. The ex-senator now lives in Washington, D. C., with his wife of nearly four decades.

Arnold Schwarzenegger – 72 – Governor

For many of you, if the name Arnold Schwarzenegger rings a bell, it would be for his acting and perfectly flexed physique. However, there’s another way you can identify him. The 72-year-old was active as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 to 2011.

After he parted ways with politics, Schwarzenegger’s life has been a roller coaster. He has continued to work in show business, more so than before, and also gotten into producing and directing. The Austrian native who now resides in Los Angeles hit rock bottom in his marriage in 2011. Schwarzenegger and his wife of 25 years separated then and divorced in 2017.

Jerry Brown – 82 – Governor

Jerry Brown was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successor as the Governor of California. Unlike Schwarzenegger, Brown has an extensive career in politics, which goes as far back as 1970. Having started as California’s Secretary of State, Brown gradually made his way up the hierarchy, becoming Mayor, Attorney General, and finally, Governor.

His life took a turn in a rare direction after resigning, but we have to say, the man knows how to indulge in his retirement properly. In the present, Brown lives in his Colusa County ranch, which, if you don’t know, is located in the rural outskirts of California. Privacy in a faraway land is the ultimate solitude one can achieve.

Jimmy Carter – 95 – President

Jimmy Carter is now the oldest living president of the United States, going strong aged 95. He was in office as the 39th president for a single term commencing 1977. Usually, one would lead a frugal lifestyle until he/she becomes president, and then, their life will change forever. However, Carter has continued to do ordinary things after his presidency.

For instance, he teaches Sunday School at the Maranatha Baptist Church and flies in commercial planes while acknowledging fellow passengers in a friendly manner. Although Carter faced a string of health complications in 2019, he continues to live on the self-built ranch in Plains, Georgia.

John Warner – 93 – Senator

When John Warner got into the subject of politics in the late ’60s, some of you were probably not even born. From being Under Secretary of the Navy to becoming Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warner has worked under the administration of multiple presidents.

Warner was almost 80 years old when he retired from politics. Currently aged 93, he still utilizes his expertise in law to work as a Senior Advisor at Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, he serves as an Honorary Director on the Atlantic Council‘s Board of Directors. Talk about a life well-lived!

Luther Strange – 67 – Attorney General

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Luther Strange III is the man who held tenure as the 47th Attorney General of Alabama. A year as a senator followed when Strange got the opportunity to replace Jeff Sessions. However, he lost to Roy Moore in the special election the same year.

Since distancing himself from the political drama, Politico reported that Strange was on the hunt for a federal agency job. He was also contemplating starting his consulting firm. Anyway, no updates on the job front have not been revealed to the public so far.

Mike Gravel – 89 – Senator

As Mike Gravel is now 89 years old and hasn’t held a significant position in a long time, we were only beginning to believe that he and politics had broken up. He confirmed that it wasn’t the case by announcing his plans to run for president in the 2020 election.

Gravel did not succeed, though. Hypothetically, had he competed and won, Gravel would be the oldest US president in history. The former senator now lives in Seaside, California, where he worked on his self-published book, The Failure of Representative Government and the Solution: A Legislature of the People.

Frank Murkowski – 87 – Governor

The Seattle native Frank Murkowski became Alaska’s youngest commissioner after graduating in economics from Seattle University. It was just baby steps at first—like becoming the president of the Alaska National Bank. Following years of hard work, Murkowski elevated into the US Senate.

He held the title of senator for four terms until he accepted further duties and responsibilities by becoming the 8th Governor of Alaska. In 2018, Anchorage Daily News reported that Murkowski, then aged 85, considered running for governor again. He also plans on getting the roads of Southeast Alaska improved, according to Juneau Empire. The 87-year-old’s retirement seems quite restless if you ask us.

Mark Begich – 58 – Senator

Since Nick Begich Sr. was a renowned politician, his son, Mark Begich, decided to follow his father’s footsteps. We have to say that it has served him well. As Begich Sr. died at the age of 40, his son carried his legacy to reach senatorship.

Begich ran for governor in 2018, only to end up defeated. One of his main goals to achieve as governor was to provide necessities at affordable prices to those in rural Alaska. We’re delighted to say that Begich is indeed keeping true to his promise through his private company, Stuaqpak Inc., which plans to overtake management of the largest grocery store in the said area.

Dennis DeConcini – 82 – Senator

Decades have passed since Dennis DeConcini’s name came up with any political news. He is a law graduate from the University of Arizona whose career beginnings came as an attorney back in the ’70s. Having served as a senator for three terms during the period 1977 and 1995, his life as a politician is now in the past.

According to IMDB, DeConcini has made appearances in Chasing the Hills, Broken Rainbow, and Arizona Centennial Conversations with Sandra Day O’Connor. After leaving diplomacy, DeConcini served on the board of directors of Corrections Corporation of America. He is now involved in philanthropic work involving the well-being of children.

Jon Kyl – 77 – Senator

Jon Kyl’s political career included eighteen years in the Senate and eight years in the House of Representatives. The Republican lawmaker calls Nebraska home as he was born and raised there. In case you are curious about what Kyl did in the early years of his life, he worked as an attorney-at-law at Jennings, Strouss & Salmon.

Moreover, the Arizona Law Review saw Kyl as its editor-in-chief for a brief period, and Mountain States Legal Foundation in Denver had him employed as a lawyer. According to Politico, Kyl now works for Covington & Burling—a law firm that pays big money.

Jeff Flake – 57 – Senator

Before becoming a senior member of the US Congress, Jeff Flake received higher education (both bachelor’s and master’s degrees) from Brigham Young University. Flake was in senatorship for a single term, but his time in the House was much longer.

Not long after leaving the Senate, CBS hired Flake as a contributor for CBS News. You can often see him on the CBS This Morning program and CBS Evening News. While working for the network, the 57-year-old is broadening his academic profile at Harvard University‘s Kennedy School of Government. The Flake family currently lives in Mesa, Arizona.

Dean Barkley – 69 – Senator

Dean Barkley was born and raised in Minnesota, graduated and became a lawyer there, and has now returned to his comfort zone. He is a University of Minnesota graduate, who, unlike the other lawmakers we’ve discussed in the list, had a very short-lived career in politics.

After kissing his political career goodbye, Barkley resumed exercising law at a general practice in Bloomington, Indiana. Today, he is reportedly a partner at The Engel Firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who also makes time to coach football and rugby and teach confirmation. As he once told CNN, Barkley prefers to keep his private life—well—private. Therefore, there’s not much news in that front.

Blanche Lincoln – 59 – Senator

Blanche Lincoln is an American politician and lawyer who had her hand in the Senate for two terms. She did run for a third term but lost miserably to John Boozman. Now, just because her name is Lincoln, and she is a politician, don’t assume that she’s related to Abraham Lincoln, because she’s not.

Lincoln, aged 59, has done her fair share of work after leaving Congress. She stayed back in Washington, D. C., employed by Alston & Bird as a Special Policy Advisor and was also the chairperson of a National Federation of Independent Business project. Lincoln currently owns and runs a political consulting firm named Lincoln Policy Group.

Mark Pryor – 57 – Senator

Mark Pryor was born to a man who was highly involved in politics. His father, David Hampton Pryor, was a governor turned senator, while his mother bore the title of state First Lady as a burden. Surely, with his father’s guidance, Pryor filled the Arkansas senator’s seat for two terms.

Shortly after leaving the position, he joined Venable LLP (a legal firm based in Washington, D.C.), as a partner. As a cancer survivor, husband to his high school sweetheart, and a father of two, we have to say, Pryor’s life is going pretty well.

Mark Udall – 69 – Senator

Mark Udall has got to be one of the most adventurous and athletic politicians to have served in Congress. Well, it partly has got to do with being a long-time resident of Colorado. Having spent over a decade in politics, bearing the highest position as a senator, Udall has stepped back into reality.

As reported by The Colorado Independent, Udall has no plan of returning to politics. He is relishing in life free of titles and media following. His closeness to the outdoors is only getting deeper by the day, as he enjoys activities like cycling, hunting, hiking, and golfing.

Ken Salazar – 65 – Secretary Of The Interior

Born in Alamosa, Colorado, Ken Salazar is an American politician whose highest rank was serving as the 50th Secretary of the Interior of the US. He did so under President Obama’s administration until he decided to resign in April of 2013.

In 2016, Salazar’s name emerged in the media again when Hillary Clinton appointed him as the head of her transition team. As you can guess, it was a temporary job, unlike his partnership at the international law firm, Wilmer Cuttler Pickering Hale and Dole LLP. One of Salazar’s most significant assignments at WilmerHale was opening up a new office in Denver.

George LeMieux – 50 – Senator

George LeMieux, aged 50, is one of the youngest politicians to have made this list. His career in the political scene was, however, a very brief one. He served as the United States Senator from Florida between September 2009 and January 2011.

Before acquiring senatorship, LeMieux became the chairman of Gunster Yoakley, a title that he holds to this day. In addition to his work in the corporate law firm, he founded the LeMieux Center for Public Policy, which is a career guidance program for graduates of Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Mo Cowan – 51 – Senator

After graduating from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and later earning the Juris Doctor from Northeastern University, William Maurice “Mo” Cowan was on a corporate journey to reach greater heights in the legal sector. It was during that time that Cowan got to become a senator.

However, his senatorship only lasted five months because Ed Markey replaced him following a special election. Cowan is married to fellow lawyer Stacy Cowan and lives in Westwood, Massachusetts, with their two sons. Since leaving politics, Cowan has served as the President and CEO of ML Strategies and is currently the Global Government Affairs and Policy President of General Electric.

Tim Johnson – 73 – Senator

Tim Johnson is a former politician from South Dakota who held various positions in Congress between the years 1979 and 2015. During the last four years of his career, Johnson represented South Dakota in the Senate, while also serving as the chairperson of the Senate Banking Committee.

Johnson, who is now 73 years old, has three children and six grandchildren. He and his wife, Barbara Brooks, reside in Vermillion, South Dakota. We hope that after decades of hard work, the former senator is spending his retirement in comfort. Johnson hasn’t revealed any of his plans for a life post-retirement.

Spencer Abraham – 67 – Secretary Of Energy

During George W. Bush’s first term as president, Spencer Abraham served as the tenth United States Secretary of Energy. Before that, he was Senator from Michigan between the years 1995 and 2001. As a Harvard University graduate, Abraham had no hustle to slide right back into work following his tenure.

First off, he founded The Abraham Group, which is an international strategic consulting firm. While at this, Abraham also became the Non-Executive Chairman of Areva Inc., the US subsidiary of the French energy company. Abraham certainly has been keeping himself busy as he co-authored a book while being on the board of trustees of the California Institute of Technology.

Russ Feingold – 67 – Senator

As a Democrat, Russ Feingold served as a US Senator from Wisconsin for three terms (1993-2011). However, his political career did not end until 2015. For two years during Barack Obama’s second term of presidency, Feingold was the US Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes and the Congo-Kinshasa.

Although he tried going back to being a senator, he was defeated by Ron Johnson in the race. Post-congress, Feingold gained membership in the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. Very recently (February 2020), the 67-year-old became the president of the American Constitution Society.