Who is considered the weakest president?

Asked by: scraper  |  Last update: July 22, 2026
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Historians and presidential scholars consistently rank James Buchanan as the weakest and worst president in U.S. history. Serving immediately before the Civil War, his administration is widely criticized for its passivity and inability to prevent the nation from splitting apart.

Who have been the worst presidents of the USA?

Historians and presidential scholars consistently rank James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Donald Trump at the bottom of U.S. presidential rankings. Rankings rely on expert consensus from surveys like those published by C-SPAN and the Siena Research Institute.

Who has the lowest presidential rating?

Harry Truman holds the record for the lowest recorded presidential job approval rating in history at 22%, recorded by Gallup in February 1952. Several other presidents have also reached historic lows:

Which presidents are generally ranked lower?

Abraham Lincoln has taken the highest ranking in each survey and George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt have always ranked in the top five while James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Franklin Pierce have been ranked at the bottom of all four surveys.

Who are the best presidents ranked in the United States?

Historians and political scholars consistently rank Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt as the greatest U.S. presidents, according to expert surveys from institutions like the Siena College Research Institute and C-SPAN. These four leaders are widely celebrated for successfully guiding the nation through its most defining existential crises.

The worst president in U.S. history

24 related questions found

What is Obama's rating as president?

President Barack Obama ranks in the top quartile of U.S. presidents, typically placing between 7th and 12th overall in major historical and political science surveys.

Who were the three great presidents?

"The Big Three" usually refers to the top-ranked U.S. presidents by historians: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). These leaders are consistently ranked highest for their roles in navigating the Civil War, founding the nation, and leading through the Great Depression/WWII, respectively.

What was Joe Biden's highest approval rating as president?

Joe Biden's highest approval rating was 57%, recorded in Gallup polling at the beginning of his term in January 2021 and again in April 2021.

Who was the only U.S. president unanimously elected?

Washington was essentially unopposed in the 1792 election, and was unanimously re-elected president with 132 electoral votes. He remains the only U.S. president to be unanimously elected.

What is the approval rate for Trump?

President Donald Trump's approval rating sits between 34% and 39% in mid-May 2026, marking a record low for his second term. Across major aggregated polls, his disapproval rating ranges from 59% to 64%. This dip follows public backlash and economic concerns tied to the war with Iran and surging gas prices.

What is Donald Trump's approval rating Wikipedia?

At the time when Donald Trump began his second term, his approval rating was 47%, the second lowest approval rating at the start of a presidential term, second only to his first term. Throughout 2025 to 2026, Trump's approval rating has hovered from 37 to 42%.

What was Bill Clinton's approval rating?

Bill Clinton left office in January 2001 with a robust job approval rating of roughly 66%. Over his two-term presidency, his approval fluctuated between a low of 37% in June 1993 and an administration peak of 73% during his impeachment proceedings in December 1998.

Which president had the lowest approval rating in the first 100 days?

Donald Trump registered the lowest approval rating of any president at the 100-day mark, recording an approval rating between 39% and 41% in various major polls.

Who has the lowest president rating?

Harry S. Truman registered a 22% job approval rating (the lowest in Gallup's tracking) in a survey conducted February 9–14, 1952. On February 11, 2026, Gallup announced that they would cease their polling of presidential approval ratings, as well as those of other public figures.

Which president was never actually elected?

Gerald Ford is the only U.S. president in history who was never elected to the presidency or the vice presidency.

Which U.S. president won a Nobel Prize?

Four U.S. presidents have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.

Who are the best presidents of all time?

Historians and presidential scholars consistently rank Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt as the greatest U.S. presidents. This consensus is drawn from regular surveys, such as the Presidential Greatness Survey conducted by experts.

What was George HW Bush's approval rating?

George H.W. Bush averaged a 60.9% approval rating over his single presidential term. His approval peaked at 89% during the 1991 Gulf War but dropped significantly during the subsequent economic recession, ending his term with an average approval in the mid-40s before he left office in 1993.

What was Reagan's approval rating?

Ronald Reagan’s job approval rating averaged 53% throughout his eight years in office. Historical data from Gallup highlights the following milestones during his presidency (1981–1989):

Does Trump have a degree?

Donald Trump holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. He transferred from Fordham University and completed his undergraduate degree at Penn in 1968.

What president fathered a child at 70 years old?

The 10th U.S. President, John Tyler (1790–1862), fathered a child at the age of 70. He had 15 children in total—more than any other president—with his 15th child, Pearl Tyler, born in 1860.

Who was president for 45 minutes?

Pedro Lascuráin holds the world record for the shortest presidency in history, serving as President of Mexico for roughly 45 minutes on February 19, 1913.

Did Biden ever have a 50% approval rating?

To navigate between years, see opinion polling on the Joe Biden administration. For 2022 opinion polling, see 2022 opinion polling on the Biden administration. Biden's average approval rating was generally over 50% in the first 6 months of his presidency. In late July, his approval rating started to decline.

What was Trump's first year approval rating?

During his first term, Donald Trump’s average job approval rating for his entire first year was 40.5%, with a disapproval rating of 54.0%.

Is Obama considered a good president of the United States?

Historians and the public generally view Barack Obama as a successful president, typically ranking him in the upper tier of American leaders, though his legacy remains debated depending on which policies and outcomes are prioritized.