NAPREC · Quick answer · Updated October 26, 2026Leer en español →

Does Puerto Rico have a president?

No. Puerto Rico does not have its own president. It is a U.S. territory, so the President of the United States is its head of state, and its government is led by an elected Governor. People born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, but residents of the island cannot vote in the November presidential election.

Who leads Puerto Rico (as of October 26, 2026)

Office	Who holds it	What the office does
President of the United States	Donald J. Trump, since January 20, 2025 Source: White House	Head of state for Puerto Rico, as for the rest of the country. Island residents did not vote in the election that chose him.
Governor of Puerto Rico	Jenniffer González-Colón, since January 2, 2025 Source: Associated Press	Leads the executive branch of Puerto Rico's government. The office is established in Article IV of Puerto Rico's 1952 Constitution and is elected every four years.
Resident Commissioner (U.S. House)	Pablo José Hernández Rivera, since January 3, 2025 Source: Office of the Resident Commissioner	Puerto Rico's one member of Congress. Serves on committees, introduces bills and debates, but does not cast the final vote on the House floor (NAPREC fact sheet).
President of the Senate of Puerto Rico	Thomas Rivera Schatz, 2025–2029 term Source: Metro Puerto Rico	Presiding officer of Puerto Rico's Senate. In Spanish this office is called presidente, a common reason people search for "the president of Puerto Rico."
Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico	Carlos "Johnny" Méndez Núñez, 2025–2029 term Source: Metro Puerto Rico	Presiding officer of Puerto Rico's House, called presidente de la Cámara in Spanish.

Officeholders change. Check the linked sources for the latest information.

Why can't Puerto Rico residents vote for president?

The Constitution gives the presidential vote to electors appointed by each state (Article II, Section 1, and the Twelfth Amendment). The Twenty-third Amendment added electors for the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico is not a state and has no electors, so its residents have no vote in the general election.

Federal courts have upheld this. In Igartúa-De La Rosa v. United States (1st Cir. 2005, en banc), the full appeals court rejected the claim that U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico have a constitutional right to vote for President.

This affects about 3.3 million U.S. citizens: Puerto Rico counted 3,285,874 residents in the 2020 Census. People born in Puerto Rico have been U.S. citizens by law since the Jones–Shafroth Act of 1917.

Can Puerto Ricans vote for president at all?

Yes, in two ways. A U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico who lives in one of the 50 states or D.C. votes there like any other resident (vote.gov). And island residents take part in choosing the parties' nominees: in 2024, Puerto Rico Republicans held a party vote on April 21 and Democrats held a primary on April 28 (CBS News, NBC News). They still cannot vote in November.

What would change with statehood?

A state appoints presidential electors and elects two U.S. senators and a number of House members based on population. Puerto Rico would gain all three. NAPREC supports statehood; this page explains the current rules, and What statehood would change for Puerto Rico covers the transition in detail. For every bill on Puerto Rico's status in this Congress and each member's record, see The Puerto Rico Status Record.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the president of Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico has no president of its own. The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump since January 20, 2025, is the head of state. Puerto Rico's government is led by Governor Jenniffer González-Colón.

Does Puerto Rico have a president or a governor?

A governor. The Governor leads Puerto Rico's executive branch and is elected by island voters every four years. The President of the United States is the head of state.

Can people in Puerto Rico vote for the U.S. President?

Not while they live on the island. The presidential vote goes through electors chosen by states and D.C. Puerto Rican voters can take part in party primaries, and Puerto Ricans living in a state vote there.

Are Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens?

Yes. People born in Puerto Rico have been U.S. citizens by federal law since 1917.

Who represents Puerto Rico in Congress?

Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández Rivera, since January 3, 2025. He serves in the House of Representatives but does not cast the final vote on bills on the House floor. Puerto Rico has no U.S. senators.