WHO’S THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL? LINCOLN LEADS AS SCHOLARS REVEAL AMERICA’S TOP 20 PRESIDENTS
Move over modern politics historians have spoken. According to major academic surveys including the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project by the American Political Science Association and Siena College’s respected 2022 rankings, America’s presidential Mount Rushmore still belongs to the giants of history.
Towering above the rest is Abraham Lincoln, praised for steering the nation through civil war. Close behind are Franklin D. Roosevelt and George Washington, with reformer Theodore Roosevelt and founding father Thomas Jefferson rounding out the top five.
Modern-era leaders also make the cut, including Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
From wartime resolve to sweeping reforms, the rankings blend crisis leadership, legacy, and long-term impact. While positions shift slightly depending on methodology, one thing is clear: when it comes to presidential greatness, history still casts the deciding vote.