Timeline of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency (1968–1969)

The following is a timeline of the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson from January 1, 1968, to January 20, 1969.

January January 1 – President Johnson makes an announcement about his intent to ask for Congress to restrict travel by Americans due to a crash program meant to reduce the payment deficit balance. During a press conference at his ranch, Johnson says he cannot predict peace for the Vietnam War this year, as ongoing investigations are being done into the statements alleged to have been made by Norodom Sihanouk that suggest the latter is interested in having friendly relations with the United States. January 2 – President Johnson selects Arthur Okun for chair of his economic advisors council. President Johnson also announces the appointment of 18 individuals to serve as members of a federal commission dedicated to pornography and obscenity. President Johnson signs a Social Security bill imposing larger benefit checks to 24 million people beginning in two months during the night. Johnson claims that a million Americans will be lifted above the poverty line with the legislation. January 3 – American planes resume bombing Hanoi, reporting the shooting down of two MIGs over the North Vietnamese capital. January 4 – Officials state that President Johnson's plan to slow down the U.S. gold outflow will have contributions made by Germany and Italy. January 5 – Vice President Humphrey affirms the support the US has for Africa in its battle for self-governing and prosperity during a short visit to Zambia. January 6 – The White House confirms President Johnson's health as being fine after a worldwide trip. January 7 – President Johnson meets with Prime Minister of Israel Levi Eshkol at the LBJ Ranch for the beginning of two days' worth of discussions on problems in the Middle East. Senators Charles Percy and Eugene McCarthy appear separately on television with the message of calling on President Johnson to cease bombing in Vietnam. January 11 – General Lawrence F. O'Brien says he would be fine with running as a stand in for President Johnson in the Democratic primary in Massachusetts. January 13 – President Johnson announces his choice of Angler Biddle Duke to United States Chief of Protocol. January 15 – President Johnson speaks with Secretary of the Treasury Henry H. Fowler about the possibility of a 10% income tax surcharge. Alf Landon criticizes President Johnson's Vietnam policy for the plight of the US dollar and the continued disorder across America while speaking to a Rotary club audience. January 16 – Citing a disillusion by Americans of "government by mystery", Governor of California Ronald Reagan tells 6,000 Republicans at a fundraising dinner that any Republican could defeat LBJ in the presidential election while speaking for 45 minutes. January 17 – President Johnson delivers the 1968 State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. January 18 – During an appearance at the White House and with First Lady Lady Bird Johnson present, singer Eartha Kitt says of LBJ's Vietnam policy: "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot." January 19 – President Johnson meets with United States Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara for discussions on matters concerning the Defense Department during the morning. President Johnson holds his one hundredth and seventeenth news conference in his White House office during the afternoon. President Johnson addresses the Advisory Committee on Youth Activities of the Democratic National Committee in the Fish Room of the White House during the afternoon. January 20 – President Johnson announces a Washington-based pilot project for a housing and medical center for the low income elderly and expresses hope that it will become a model across the US. January 21 – Protestors of the Vietnam War are ejected from President Johnson's church in Washington while he is not present. January 22 – President Johnson transmits the third annual report of the International Coffee Agreement in a message to Congress per requirement of P.L. 89-23. January 23 – President Johnson sends Congress a 2.1 billion manpower proposal in his first special message of the year. The proposal features a plan to combat unemployment in the fifteen largest American cities. January 24 – President Johnson sends a message to Congress outlining his views on how civil rights should be adopted in the country's policies and living standards as well as calling for both chambers to become involved with the process by "adopting this legislation fundamental to the human rights and dignity of every American." January 25 – President Johnson orders the immediate active duty of 14,787 reservists to strengthen the US's abroad involvement in the debacle over the capture of U.S.S. Pueblo by North Korea, thereby mobilizing 372 fighter, bomber, and troop airplanes and bringing about the first type of mobilization since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Chief Justice Earl Warren hails LBJ as someone that can lead the US through the current turbulent times during a White House black tie event that night. Jerre Stockton Williams is sworn in as Chairman, Administrative Conference of the United States in the East Room during the afternoon. January 26 – President Johnson delivers a warning to North Korea that the US military is prepared for "any contingency that might arise in that area" while speaking over television and radio from the White House. President Johnson addresses student delegates at the 1968 Senate Youth Program in the East Room during the afternoon. President Johnson presents the Distinguished Service Medal to Wallace M. Greene, Jr. in the East Room during the afternoon. January 29 – In his annual budget message to Congress, President Johnson asks for 25.8 billion in the Vietnam War in 1969's fiscal year, a 1.3 billion increase from the expected costs of the fiscal year of 1968. Charles Zwick is sworn in as Director, Bureau of the Budget in the Cabinet Room during the morning. January 30 – President Johnson requests Congress raise the GI mortgage loan guarantee for the permitting of veterans to buy more homes that are more adequate and expensive.

February February 1 – President Johnson delivers a speech on economics to Congress. February 2 – The White House releases transcript of a dialogue between President Johnson and George Meany, the two discussing the Vietnam War, crime, housing, education and health programs, and poverty. February 2 – The Senate confirms Edward R. De for the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Cultural Affairs. February 3 – Nixon gives his first speech in New Hampshire to a dinner audience, outlining his view that private enterprise should resolve the US's problems and cites LBJ not being able to travel around without fear of demonstration as reason the country should have "new leadership." February 3 – Radio Pyongyang says the US held its third secret meeting with North Koreans during the day. The claim is not confirmed by American officials. February 4 – Administration spokesman confirm President Johnson received written assurances from the Joint Chiefs of Staff ahead of committing the US military to defending the Khe Sanh Combat Base. February 7 – President Johnson announces the rebuilding of the Silver Bridge in remarks during a morning appearance in his White House office. February 8 – Prime Minister of Britain Harold Wilson warns President Johnson to fight off urges to appeal to "all those understandable demands" for moves that could "have incalculable effects" in the night hours. February 9 – President Johnson announces the brother of former president Dwight Eisenhower, Milton Eisenhower, as his choice to be sent to the US delegation at the Inter-American Cultural council session in Maracay, Venezuela the following week. The White House condemns a comment attributed to presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy from the previous day that tactical nuclear weapons were of request in Vietnam, McCarthy responding afterward that he had instead said that he would not be surprised if this was occurring in Vietnam, though the Associated Press reports a tape recording of McCarthy making the statement in the manner the White House claimed. Nixon says peace in Vietnam is only possible through continued pressure from the military during a press conference in Denver. February 10 – President Johnson releases a statement in conjunction with his signing of a proclamation marking the anniversary of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Johnson praises the LULAC as having always "recognized that education is the key that will open the doors of opportunity" and reflects on his tenure as a teacher in Cotulla, Texas showing him the aspirations of students dreaming for more learning. February 12 – President Johnson attends a ceremony commemorating the one hundred and fifty-ninth birthday of President Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial during the afternoon. President Johnson delivers a speech on Lincoln's legacy, its relation to American society as well as across the world, and the resolve of Americans to achieve "a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves and with all nations." February 14 – President Johnson signs the Savings and Loan Holding Company Amendments of 1967 in the Fish Room during the afternoon. President Johnson says the legislation gives additional protections to Americans borrowing from savings and loans associations and marks the beginning of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board being able "to regulate and supervise holding companies which own or control insured associations." February 15 – President Johnson addresses the Washington Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews in the International Ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the evening. February 17 – President Johnson delivers an address to troops at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California during the evening. In his remarks, Johnson speaks about the seriousness of the conflict in Vietnam and favorably of the soldiers who he calls "the sons of America's best years, the best years any nation, any people, have ever known." February 19 – In a statement, President Johnson responds to receiving the Industry-Government Special Task Force on Travel report, predicting that it will help with "our goal of reducing our travel deficit by $500 million this year" and have a growing impact with the passage of years. February 20 – President Johnson transmits the annual report of the Civil Service Commission to Congress in a message, urging "prompt consideration and passage of this legislation to strengthen our Federal system and assure more efficient conduct of programs with shared administrative responsibilities." February 22 – President Johnson sends a message to Congress outlining the issues in urban communities and reflects on the actions of the Johnson administration and Congress in correcting these problems, recommending appropriations of 2.18 billion for the antipoverty program for the fiscal year of 1969 and states that his other proposals to Congress if passed can "improve the lot and the life of the city dweller." February 23 – President Johnson releases a statement summarizing the response on his part to the Inter-Agency Committee on Mexican American Affairs. February 24 – President Johnson meets with leaders of the National Alliance of Businessmen Henry Ford II, Paul Austin, and Leo Beebe during the morning. February 26 – President Johnson transfers the Reorganization Plan 2 of 1968 to Congress in a special message; he advocates that Congress "transfer urban mass transportation programs to the Secretary of Transportation and to establish an Urban Mass Transportation Administration within the Department of Transportation to strengthen the organizational capacity of the Federal Government to achieve these objectives."