Trump is a greater president than lincoln
Executive summary
Public debate over whether Donald Trump is a “greater” president than Abraham Lincoln is fundamentally about values and metrics, not a simple fact. Polling shows sizable Republican support for Trump over Lincoln in some surveys (one 2019 YouGov finding said about one-third of Republicans ranked Trump first and half of Republicans said Trump was better than Lincoln) [1], while scholarly rankings continue to place Lincoln at the top for crisis leadership and emancipation (reported context in AP and other coverage) [2].
1. What people mean by “greater” matters
“Greater” can refer to public popularity, policy achievements, crisis leadership, moral legacy, or institutional impact. Sources show Republicans often evaluate greatness differently than historians: a 2019 YouGov survey found many Republicans rate Trump above past GOP presidents and that about half of Republicans in that sample said Trump was better than Lincoln [1]. By contrast, journalistic and scholarly portrayals continue to treat Lincoln as the benchmark of presidential greatness for guiding the nation through the Civil War and ending slavery — a framing noted in AP’s reporting on comparisons between Trump and Lincoln [2].
2. Popular opinion versus historical ranking
Contemporary political polling and partisan opinion can diverge sharply from academic rankings. The YouGov data cited shows partisanship drives preferences: a large share of Republicans ranked Trump above several Republican predecessors and even, for many respondents, above Lincoln [1]. AP reporting highlights that Lincoln remains “listed as the greatest president” in surveys of political scholars, implying that expert consensus and public partisan sentiment are not the same [2].
3. Trump’s self-comparisons and political motive
Donald Trump has repeatedly compared himself to Lincoln in public remarks and marketing, signaling an explicit effort to claim that legacy (AP documented Trump saying he was “better than Lincoln, better than Washington” in a 2022 video) [2]. Journalists and historians interpret such comparisons as part of legacy-building: Trump’s comparisons to Lincoln are “a function of his desire to preserve and build upon his legacy,” according to reporting that cites observers and analysts [2].
4. Areas where the two presidencies are most often contrasted
Commentary and analysis point to a few recurring contrasts: Lincoln is celebrated for preserving the Union and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation; Trump’s admirers cite executive action, conservative judicial appointments, and policy changes (Ballotpedia enumerates many 2025 executive actions and nominations) [3]. Opinion pieces and local comparisons highlight differences in backgrounds and governing styles — Lincoln’s legal and legislative apprenticeship versus Trump’s business background and outsider appeal [4] [5].
5. Contemporary record and controversies that shape perceptions
Reporting on Trump’s second term and recent activities affects present-day assessments: media and reference sources record actions such as numerous executive orders, controversial immigration measures, and foreign-policy moves that polarize evaluations (Ballotpedia and second-presidency summaries describe many executive actions and contentious policies) [3] [6]. Coverage also notes legal and political controversies tied to Trump’s role in post-2020 events, which remain central to how historians and the public judge his presidency (GovTrack summary of ongoing cases and pardons referenced) [7].
6. What historians and scholars say — and what sources do not mention
Available reporting in these sources highlights that surveys of political scholars generally continue to rank Lincoln at or near the top of presidential greatness lists (AP cites the Presidential Greatness Project and scholars’ consensus) [2]. Available sources do not mention a contemporary academic re-ranking that places Trump above Lincoln in scholarly consensus; scholarly consensus favoring Lincoln is what current reporting documents [2].
7. How to evaluate the claim responsibly
A responsible comparison requires explicit criteria (e.g., crisis leadership, constitutional impact, civil-rights legacy, long-term institutional consequences, public approval). Polling shows partisans value different criteria (YouGov showing Republican majorities favorable to Trump on greatness relative to some predecessors) [1]; historical rankings emphasize transformational outcomes and moral leadership (AP’s coverage of Lincoln as the yardstick) [2]. Readers should treat claims that “Trump is a greater president than Lincoln” as a value judgment grounded in partisan preferences unless accompanied by clear, widely accepted metrics and peer-reviewed scholarship supporting that reordering — which the provided sources do not supply.
Limitations: this analysis relies only on the supplied reporting and polls; it does not incorporate other scholarly works or broader polling beyond the cited YouGov and journalistic summaries.