Presidents have difficult roles regardless of systemic context and in times of crisis their work is especially complex. While the body of work on presidents generally is growing, understanding of their role in crisis is underdeveloped. In this study, we enhance research on presidential crisis leadership by applying the competing values framework to a unique set of interviews with 14 presidents from eight nations. Our results highlight the value tensions that were and are experienced by presidents during crisis as these leaders manage local needs with national guidance. The most common values discussed include "control," "collaborate," and "create," while the value of "compete" was rarely referenced.