Fakhrul Islam 

US President Donald Trump has once again placed himself at the center of a debate over his historical legacy, declaring himself the “greatest” president in American history while relegating some of the country’s most celebrated leaders to a lower tier.

Trump shared a presidential ranking on Truth Social that placed him alone in the highest category, “The Greatest.” The ranking put Abraham Lincoln and George Washington-two presidents widely regarded as foundational figures in American history-one level below Trump in the “Great” category.

The post came after CNN aired a segment highlighting an Elon University poll examining which Republican president GOP voters admire most. According to the poll, 53% of Republicans selected Trump, compared with 18% for former President Ronald Reagan and 8% for Lincoln. CNN analyst Harry Enten described the result as a historically significant comparison, noting the scale of Trump’s support among Republican voters.

Trump’s decision to share the ranking, however, goes well beyond a celebration of his popularity within the Republican Party. It represents a striking personal assessment of his place in American history, particularly because the chart places him above presidents who have traditionally dominated discussions of presidential greatness.

Lincoln, for example, led the United States through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, helping pave the way for the abolition of slavery. Washington served as the nation’s first president and played a central role in establishing the institutions of the new republic. Franklin D. Roosevelt, another president ranked below Trump, guided the United States through the Great Depression and much of World War II.

The ranking also placed Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, John Adams and other historically prominent presidents below Trump. At the opposite end, Trump classified Joe Biden and Barack Obama as “Failures,” alongside Jimmy Carter, Ulysses S. Grant and Warren G. Harding. Bill Clinton was placed in the “Average” category.

Notably, the graphic did not include several presidents, among them Reagan, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and both George Bushes.

The ranking appears to have been adapted from a famous 1948 LIFE magazine survey organized by Harvard historian Arthur Schlesinger Sr. That survey asked dozens of American historians to assess presidents using categories ranging from “great” to “failure.” Trump’s version retains the basic framework but modifies it to include himself and several modern presidents.

There is, however, a substantial difference between Trump’s self-assessment and the evaluations of presidential scholars.

The Presidential Greatness Project ranked Trump last among US presidents in its 2018 survey, giving him a score of just 12.34 out of 100. Lincoln, by comparison, received 95.03. Trump again ranked last in the project’s 2024 survey, which included 154 presidential scholars and experts, while Lincoln once more occupied the top position.

Such rankings are inevitably subjective. Presidential greatness can be measured through economic performance, foreign policy, leadership during crises, institutional changes, political achievements or long-term historical influence. Different generations of historians can therefore reach different conclusions.

Trump’s own political standing also complicates the picture. His continued dominance among Republican voters demonstrates that he has established an extraordinary level of influence within the modern Republican Party. Yet popularity among a political party’s voters is not necessarily the same as broad national approval or historical approval.

Recent polling illustrates that distinction. A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted from August 21 to 24 put Trump’s overall approval rating at 33%, while 65% disapproved of his performance. Other polling has indicated particularly weak public assessments of his economic record. A Marquette survey found that only 30% approved of his handling of the economy, while just 22% approved of his performance on inflation and the cost of living.

Trump’s decision to embrace a ranking that places him above Washington and Lincoln therefore reflects more than a simple political boast. It highlights the continuing divide between how Trump views his presidency, how his most committed supporters view him, and how academic historians evaluate presidential leadership.

For Trump, the message is clear: he believes his political movement and presidential record deserve a place at the very top of American history. His critics, however, argue that historical greatness cannot be determined by personal declarations or partisan popularity.

Ultimately, history will make its own judgment. Presidential reputations often change dramatically after leaders leave office, as the long-term consequences of their decisions become clearer. Whether Trump eventually joins the ranks of America’s greatest presidents-or remains one of its most polarizing-is a question that will be answered not by a Truth Social post, but by the passage of time.