Who is considered the worst president of all time
Executive summary
Scholarly surveys and recent media assessments disagree on a single “worst” U.S. president, but several sources show Donald Trump ranked lowest in multiple 21st‑century polls of historians and experts (Presidential Greatness Project: 10.92/100; ranked 45th) and a 2024 University of Houston survey of nearly 200 presidential scholars placed him last [1] [2]. Older, long‑standing scholarly consensus often names James Buchanan or other 19th‑century figures as the worst, showing that judgments depend on methodology, time horizon, and who is doing the ranking [1].
1. How historians and polls define “worst” — competing methods, competing answers
Academic rankings typically survey historians and political scientists who score presidents across leadership, accomplishments and failures; these scholarly lists frequently place Abraham Lincoln at the top and names like James Buchanan at the bottom [1]. By contrast, newer expert polls such as the Presidential Greatness Project and a University of Houston–sponsored survey have put Donald Trump in last place, reflecting contemporary judgments that weight recent actions and perceived threats to democratic norms [1] [2].
2. Recent surveys: Trump at the bottom in multiple contemporary measures
The Presidential Greatness Project’s 2024 edition scored Donald Trump 10.92 out of 100 and placed him 45th — the lowest score in that survey — and the University of Houston survey of nearly 200 presidential scholars likewise listed Trump as the worst in American history, signaling a notable shift in expert consensus for the present moment [1] [2].
3. Long-term scholarly consensus still points to 19th‑century failures
Traditional historical rankings compiled over decades and summarized on reference pages show that James Buchanan is “most often ranked as the worst” in many long‑running scholarly lists because his presidency is judged to have helped set the nation on a path to civil war — a judgment that relies on long‑term consequences rather than contemporary controversies [1].
4. Media commentary vs. academic polling: different agendas and emphases
Opinion pieces and advocacy outlets frame “worst” in political terms: The Guardian argued Trump’s second term (in 2025) was “the worst presidential term ever,” focusing on threats to democratic institutions and casting judgment from an editorial perspective [3]. Partisan organizations and advocacy groups likewise use such rankings for political messaging — for example, Democracy21 and the DNC characterize Trump as the worst as part of broader criticisms of his record and support networks [4] [5]. These sources have explicit political agendas that shape their framing.
5. Why recent rankings have moved: the role of recency, measurable behavior, and threats
Recent surveys’ low scores for Trump cite concrete behaviors (e.g., high counts of false or misleading statements reported by watchdogs) and events judged to threaten democratic norms; advocacy pieces emphasize lawlessness and authoritarian risk as grounds for naming a modern “worst” [4] [3]. Scholars note that presidential reputations often change over time, so a low contemporary ranking may not become an enduring historical consensus [6].
6. Where consensus still breaks down — methodology matters
Different projects average distinct polls (e.g., U.S. News combined multiple presidential polls to produce a “worst” list), and some polls include living presidents while others wait for historical distance; those choices produce different bottom‑line lists — Donald Trump appears as the worst in several recent expert and media compilations, while multi‑decade academic surveys sometimes maintain Buchanan and other earlier presidents as the worst [7] [1].
7. What’s missing or uncertain in current reporting
Available sources do not mention a single universally accepted metric that all scholars use to name the single “worst” president; long‑term historical reappraisals and differing sample frames (historians vs. public polls vs. editorial writers) leave the question inherently contestable (not found in current reporting). Additionally, some widely cited rankings postponed new surveys when a recent former president returned to office, underscoring methodological caution about mixing history with active politics [1].
8. Bottom line for readers
If you ask contemporary expert polls and many recent journalistic and advocacy pieces, Donald Trump is often ranked as the worst U.S. president in those specific surveys [1] [2]. If you consult long‑standing, time‑tested academic ranking traditions, names like James Buchanan remain prominent as historical “worst” choices because they emphasize long‑term consequences over current controversies [1]. Which answer you accept depends on whether you prioritize present‑day expert judgment or long‑term historical assessment.