Timeline of the George W. Bush presidency (2003)

The year 2003 marked a pivotal year in the presidency of George W. Bush, dominated by the escalation of the Iraq War and its immediate aftermath. Key events are outlined below:

• January 29: In his State of the Union address, President Bush asserts that Iraq poses an "immediate threat" to the United States and accuses Saddam Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction. He declares an "Axis of Evil" including Iraq, Iran, and North Korea.

• February 5: Secretary of State Colin Powell presents evidence to the United Nations Security Council allegedly demonstrating Iraq's non-compliance with disarmament resolutions and its possession of weapons of mass destruction. This presentation is highly influential in shaping international perceptions leading up to the war.

• March 17: President Bush issues an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, demanding that he and his sons leave Iraq within 48 hours or face military action.

• March 20: The United States, along with a coalition of forces including the United Kingdom, launches Operation Iraqi Freedom, initiating the invasion of Iraq.

• April 9: U.S. forces take control of Baghdad, effectively ending Saddam Hussein's regime.

• May 1: President Bush declares "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq during a speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln, a statement that would later become controversial as the insurgency intensified.

• May 2: Bush signs the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act, providing funding for the Iraq War and other national security measures.

• May 29: L. Paul Bremer III is appointed as the Presidential Envoy to Iraq and head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), responsible for governing Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

• June: The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) begins administering Iraq, making controversial decisions such as disbanding the Iraqi army and de-Ba'athification policies.

• July 17: The Valerie Plame affair begins to unfold after her identity as a CIA operative is leaked to the press. This event leads to a major political scandal and investigation into whether administration officials leaked her identity in retaliation for her husband, Joseph Wilson, publicly questioning the Bush administration's claims about Iraq's uranium purchases from Niger.

• September 2: President Bush requests an additional $87 billion from Congress to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• October 7: Congress approves the $87 billion supplemental spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan.

• December 13: Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces in a raid near Tikrit, Iraq.

This year saw the peak of international support for the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq erode, with increasing concerns about the justification for the war and the challenges of stabilizing the country after the initial military victory. The ongoing search for weapons of mass destruction, which ultimately proved unsuccessful, further fueled controversy surrounding the administration's rationale for the war.