Trump ranks himself as greatest US president in self-created chart
Trump's post came in response to a recent CNN poll that found 53% of Republicans said they admired him more than any other Republican president
President Donald Trump shared a chart ranking himself as the greatest US president in history, placing his name above former presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington in a graphic that drew criticism from historians and commentators.
Trump's post came in response to a recent CNN poll that found 53% of Republicans said they admired him more than any other Republican president, says Independent UK.
The ranking, however, omitted several recent Republican presidents, including Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Historian Christopher W. Jones pointed to the omission in a post on X, writing: "Trump apparently has no opinion on where Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush rank as presidents."
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The graphic was also identified as a modified 1948 Life magazine chart, with Trump's name added at the top and Democratic presidents he dislikes placed at the bottom.
Conspiracy theory expert Mike Rothschild criticised the post on X, writing: "Trump's stupid chart of 'greatest' presidents is a chart from Life Magazine in 1948, with his name added at the top and the Democrats he doesn't like at the bottom... Exactly the kind of thing a healthy, high-functioning person shares."
Historians offer sharply different assessment
Trump's self-ranking contrasts with assessments from historians and political scientists.
A 2024 survey of historians and political scientists ranked Trump as the worst president in US history, while placing former President Joe Biden 14th.
Trump's overall public approval rating has also recently fallen to about one-third of Americans, according to the information provided.
Michael Bailey, a political scientist at Georgetown University, told The New York Times that Trump was "easily the worst president in US history."
"The corruption and damage to long-term US institutions and reputation are far beyond anything we've seen before," Bailey said.
Trump's view of presidential history
The episode is part of a broader pattern of Trump's engagement with US history during his second term.
Trump installed a White House "Walk of Fame" featuring plaques about past presidents, some of which he helped write. Historians have criticised the accuracy and tone of the material.
An unnamed historian, commenting on Trump's presidential "Walk of Fame", said the scholarship of the self-written plaques was about as high as "drawing mustaches on other people's portraits."
Trump has also ordered audits of national historical sites and the Smithsonian, with a focus on removing or revising historical materials that conflict with his personal worldview.
