Who was the first US President to write to the Dalai Lama and who the first to meet with him? Which US president became the first to call on China to open dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and which of them received him in the White House the most number of times? Lilian Shek* highlights these and many other pivotal moments in interactions between the Dalai Lama and US presidents since 1942, reviewing a book by former Tibetan diplomat Lobsang Nyandak.
The Dalai Lama and American Presidents: A Story of Faith, Diplomacy, and Friendship
(Part photographic biography, part political narrative)
Available at: www.dalailamauspresidents.com
Published 2026; Pp 180 (Hardcover)
Price: 49.99 USD
“The Dalai Lama and American Presidents: A Story of Faith, Diplomacy and Friendship” by Lobsang Nyandak adeptly elucidates the unique intersection of the Dalai Lama’s spiritual and moral leadership and the political power of U. S. Presidents. It is a story about how enduring values like compassion, truth, and human dignity can resonate across very different worlds.
The book provides an unprecedented, insightful, and beautiful chronicle of the diplomatic and personal relationship between the Dalai Lama and American Presidents. Mr. Nyandak’s writing is clear, objective, and engaging.
The extensive archival material consists of letters from the Dalai Lama to every U.S. President since President Franklin D. Roosevelt, expressing gratitude and good will, offering prayers for the welfare of all living beings, and requesting support from the U.S. on behalf of Tibet and its people. Responses from the U.S. Presidents were invariably respectful and empathetic.
This is partly an attractive photobook full of poignant images that reveal the deep sincerity, mutual respect, and shared joy of the subjects.
The chapter titled “A Gold Watch Diplomacy” documents the earliest contact between the U.S. government and Tibet. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a letter to the then seven-year-old Dalai Lama in 1942, bearing a gift of a highly complicated and rare gold Patek Philippe watch. The Dalai Lama was photographed in 2016 showing that watch to U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy. He wrote in his autobiography “Freedom in Exile” that while on a visit to Switzerland, he personally took it to the manufacturer for repairs.
The tradition of U.S. Presidents meeting the Dalai Lama was established when President George H. W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush hosted the Dalai Lama’s first visit to the White House in 1991. The book presents many delightful photographs showing the prevailing geniality and cordiality of this historically significant meeting. Although the Bush administration refrained from endorsing the Dalai Lama’s Strasbourg Proposal that “envisioned Tibetan autonomy within China” in 1989, it nevertheless “reiterated American concerns about human rights abuses in Tibet.”
President Bill Clinton met with the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 1997. Numerous photographs depict President Clinton listening attentively to the Dalai Lama explaining Tibet’s struggle for genuine autonomy, rather than independence — a “Middle Way” — for the preservation of its unique cultural, linguistic and religious identity. On June 27, 1998, President Clinton “became the first U.S.
President to publicly call on China to open dialogue with the Dalai Lama on Chinese soil,” during a press conference with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Beijing.
The Dalai Lama and President George W. Bush share the same birthday, July 6th. Many of their joint photographs portray genuine joy and laughter between two close friends. President Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama on October 17, 2007, at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol, joined by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senator Robert Byrd, honoring his work for peace, human rights, and religious understanding. The George W. Bush Administration
has given “unwavering support for the preservation of Tibet’s cultural, linguistic, and spiritual identity.”
The Dalai Lama visited President Barack Obama at the White House in 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2016. However, their relationship had begun quietly in 2005 when then-Senator Obama met him at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee briefing. On the day of his inauguration as the 44th President of the United States, President Obama accepted a white Tibetan Khatag (scarf) that was blessed by the Dalai Lama. He carried it on him as he stood before the nation to take the oath of office.
An abundance of photographs capture a thoughtful and introspective President Obama, exchanging ideas with the Dalai Lama, the wise, compassionate and loving world spiritual leader who was clearly at ease with his gracious host. As the Dalai Lama departed from the White House on June 15, 2016, images show the
President holding his hand warmly while accompanying him to his waiting vehicle.
In November 2009, during President Obama’s first official visit to China, he raised the issue of Tibet directly with Chinese President Hu Jintao, calling for early resumption of dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama’s envoys.
At the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2015, President Obama offered a special welcome to the Dalai Lama, whom he honored as “a good friend, … a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion, and [who] inspires us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings.”
In September 2015, during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House, Obama again urged renewed dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives and emphasized the importance of preserving Tibet’s cultural and religious heritage.
The book highlights the major Congressional Acts that Presidents George W. Bush, Donald Trump, and Joseph Biden, respectively, signed into law — the Tibet Policy Act (TPA) in 2002; the Tibetan Policy and Support Act (TPSA) in 2020; and the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act (commonly known as the Resolve Tibet Act) in 2024 — affirming American support for Tibetan freedom and control over the succession of Tibetan Buddhist leaders.
This book is a fulfillment of Mr. Nyandak’s long-held dream and passion to write about the historic relationship between the Dalai Lama and U.S. Presidents that he had witnessed firsthand during his service as Representative of the 14th Dalai Lama to North America. Through his distinctive and intimate reflections, Mr. Nyandak has successfully illuminated a journey that is “grounded in faith, shaped by diplomacy, and carried forward through genuine friendship.”
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* Lilian Shek lives in Sacramento, California, USA
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Praises for the Book
“This book chronicles a unique and meaningful chapter in modern diplomatic history, the evolving relationship between His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Presidents of the United States. I have long believed that the engagement between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the leaders of the United States carries a deeper significance beyond the bilateral realm. It demonstrates how the power of moral authority can find resonance even in the highest seats of political power. This bond, shaped by mutual admiration and ethical alignment, has helped amply the Tibet issue on the world stage, inspired cross-cultural respect, and encouraged dialogue over conflict.
I commend the author for bringing together rare archival material, insightful narratives, and contextual clarity to offer a narrative that is both informative and inspiring. May this work serve as a reminder of the power of moral courage, and may it help rekindle international interest in the just aspirations of the Tibetan people.”
– Professor Venerable Samdhong Rinpoche
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“Although Tibet historically was considered an isolated country with minimal contact with the outside world, yet there has been extraordinary interaction between the present 14th Dalai Lama, His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, and successive American presidents. This book is a concise history of the ties between the Dalai Lama and 15 presidents of the United States of America., starting from Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1940s. The fact that the book includes copies of original source materials, including text of communications between the Dalai Lama and the presidents, provides an added value to general readers and scholars alike.”
– Bhuchung K Tsering
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“Beautifully written and deeply insightful, this book is a remarkable exploration of the connections between the Dalai Lama and American presidents throughout history. With an excellent preface and introduction, a thoughtful contribution by Samdhong Rinpoche, and many compelling chapters including fascinating historical letters, documents, and photographs, it offers both scholarly significance and engaging storytelling. The book is filled with great anecdotes and behind-the-scenes moments between the Dalai Lama and American presidents, bringing history vividly to life. An essential reference for anyone seeking to understand the historic and contemporary ties between Tibet and America.”
-Tenzin Dickie, Writer and Translator
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“At the crossroads of politics and moral authority lies an extraordinary dialogue: the Dalai Lama and the Presidents of the United States. From Roosevelt’s gold watch to George W. Bush’s Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, from Carter’s behind-the-scenes support to Obama’s warm tributes, this book reveals how successive American leaders balanced diplomacy with principle in their encounters with Tibet’s spiritual leader. It is a testament to the enduring bond between democratic ideals and the timeless values of peace, compassion, and human dignity. Readers will find in these pages not only a compelling chronicle of history but also an inspiring reflection on the power of moral courage in shaping our world—making this a book you won’t want to put down.”
-Chef Eric Ripert