Here is why President George H.W. Bush absolutely hated broccoli, and people love him for it

Former President George H.W. Bush hated one particular vegetable so much that when he was president, he made sure the world knew about it.

At the age of 65, on March 23, 1990, Bush spoke at a news conference about his Air Force One broccoli ban. There he revealed his true feelings about the vegetable.

President George H.W. Bush stated:

“I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!”

For more on this story go to our Twitter account @amomama_usa. He made the announcement after a year of his presidency and three years before he left the position.

The late former president passed away at the age of 94 on Friday. As part of his tributes, social media users have addressed his dislike for the vegetable and praised him, once more, for it.

However, in 2016, a letter from a 5-year-old boy named Cooper was given to the former president. In it, the young boy tried to convince Bush to change his mind about broccoli.

It read in part:

"My grama [sic] told me that you do not like broccoli and never want it served. I just want you to know that I love broccoli. Mr. President, broccoli is really good for you. I wish you liked broccoli like I do."

Bush was moved by the note and he gave a response via Twitter. At the time, he’d written:

“Proud of young Cooper's interest in healthy eating. His declared love of broccoli is genuine, if also unpersuasive.”

Since his passing, social media users have referred to his dislike of the vegetable in their tributes. One Twitter user wrote: "May you not eat broccoli in Heaven, sir."

Both Democrats and Republicans praised him for his sternness when it came to the broccoli issue. Even people who love the vegetable also celebrated the politician.

After Bush made his declaration of hate for broccoli known, his wife First Lady Barbara Bush received a delivery of the vegetable from California growers. They sent them as part of a larger donation to Washington, DC food banks.