Of his nine vetoes, five were overridden by Congress, giving him the worst success rate (44%) in American history.

William R. King is the only vice president of the United States to take the oath of office on foreign soil. He was inaugurated in Havana, Cuba, due to poor health and died of tuberculosis after 45 days in office.

Pierce was a heavy drinker for much of his life. During the election of 1852, the Whigs mocked him as the "Hero of Many a Well-Fought Bottle," and when he left office in 1857, he reportedly told a well-wisher, "There's nothing left to do but get drunk." He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1869.

During his administration, Pierce successfully opened trade relations with Japan, a major coup as Japan had refused to entertain trade prior and had in fact closed its borders to foreigners back in 1683. When U.S. Representative Commodore Matthew Perry returned to the states after the successful signing of the treaty, he brought gifts to Pierce from the Japanese. Among these gifts were seven miniature "teacup" Japanese Chin dogs, highly valued by the Japanese.

His popularity declined sharply in the Northern states after he supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which nullified the Missouri Compromise, while many whites in the South continued to support him. Passage of the act led to violent conflict over the expansion of slavery in the American West.

Pierce fully expected to be renominated by the Democrats in the 1856 presidential election, but was abandoned by his party for former Secretary of State James Buchanan.