The U.S. president who initiated the New Deal in response to the Great Depression was Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). Upon taking office in March 1933, he implemented a series of economic programs and reforms designed to alleviate the widespread economic distress caused by the Great Depression. The New Deal aimed to provide relief for the unemployed, recover the economy, and reform the financial system to prevent future crises. Key components included the establishment of Social Security, public works programs, and regulations on banking and finance. Roosevelt’s ambitious approach transformed the role of the federal government in American economic life.