Key facts
- Donald Trump declared himself the "greatest" U.S. president ever on social media.
- His self-ranking placed him above historical figures like Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Washington.
- Academic surveys of presidential historians consistently rank Trump near the bottom.
- The Presidential Greatness Project survey ranked Trump last among 45 presidents.
- Historians criticize Trump's actions related to the January 6th insurrection and election integrity.
Donald Trump has asserted his position as the "greatest" U.S. president in history, sharing a social media post that ranked him above iconic leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and George Washington. However, this self-assessment is sharply contrasted by the views of presidential historians and academic surveys.
Justin Vaughn, a political science professor at Coastal Carolina University and co-creator of the Presidential Greatness Project, stated that Trump's self-assessment is inconsistent with expert findings. Surveys conducted by his project and others consistently place Trump significantly lower in presidential rankings.
The social media post, shared last Thursday, categorized presidents into six tiers, with Trump uniquely occupying the "greatest" tier. The graphic appears to be an adaptation of a 1948 Life magazine article, with additions for contemporary presidents and the "greatest" category. Notably, Joe Biden, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama were placed in the "failures" category, while Bill Clinton was deemed "average."
In contrast, the most recent Presidential Greatness Project survey, which polled 154 academics, ranked Trump last among all 45 presidents, below even James Buchanan. Trump received an average rating of 10.92, compared to Lincoln's 93.87. A 2022 Siena University poll of 141 scholars ranked Trump third-to-last, ahead of only Buchanan and Andrew Johnson. This Siena study also found Trump ranked last in "integrity" and "intelligence" categories.
Interestingly, Trump's low rankings appear to unite academics across the political spectrum, with Republican respondents also viewing him poorly, according to Vaughn. A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, countered that Trump is focused on his work and will be remembered as a successful and consequential president.
Barbara Perry, a professor of presidential studies at the University of Virginia, expressed strong disagreement with Trump's self-placement, stating he would not be considered "great" or "near great" by any scholarly consensus. Perry cited Trump's role in the January 6th insurrection, his continued claims of election fraud, and alleged racism as factors that will negatively impact his historical standing.