Have past U.S. presidents met with the Dalai Lama?
A1: Yes. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have all met with the Dalai Lama. Indeed, an express refusal to meet with the Dalai Lama would not only stray from established principle but would engender a raft of criticism from Congress and human rights groups that might constrain the president’s efforts to conduct a China policy that emphasizes engagement and cooperation. Past presidents have attempted to demonstrate sensitivity to Chinese concerns by meeting the Dalai Lama in private (although private meetings in the Oval Office are deemed to have great political significance to Chinese officials and have thus been largely avoided). However, in October 2007, President George W. Bush was the first president to meet with the Dalai Lama in a public setting—in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington—during the Dalai Lama’s visit to accept the Congressional Medal of Freedom on Capitol Hill. Generally, and despite attempts at nuance in timing and location of such meetings
