Top 10 Most Harmful Decisions from U.S. Presidents

The events of 9/11 did not justify declaring war on Iraq, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of many innocent civilians. It is impossible for civilians to be unaffected by war.

A war waged against WMDs that never existed. Not only did it cost $2 trillion and many lives, but it also destabilized the entire Middle East, plunging the region into chaos.

America had no reason to get directly involved in the Vietnam War. They could have just sent supplies to South Vietnam, but no, they had to get involved, leading to thousands of deaths there. Many people also died back in America, like at Kent State in 1970, where four people were killed by the National Guard after protesting the invasion of Cambodia.

The Vietnam War was unnecessary, as the domino theory proved false. The draft was reinstituted, leading to significant loss of life and financial costs. It also damaged public trust in the government for generations.

The Civil War was prone to happen anyway, but on top of placating Southern slaveowners throughout his entire term, Buchanan's decision to do absolutely nothing as Southern states left the Union was appalling. The war may have been unavoidable, but he could have at least tried to do something.

The rounding up of thousands of Japanese Americans, removing them from their families, jobs, and businesses, and putting them into camps was both racist and oppressive.

This war was fought for American pride and to seize Canadian land from Native Americans. The White House was attacked, and the very existence of the United States was in danger.

Nixon's own advisors later admitted it was a tool to suppress hippies and Black people, but nonetheless, the Controlled Substances Act resulted in the incarceration of millions for small marijuana possession and punished severe addicts instead of helping them.

Although rarely mentioned in history books, this early 1900s genocide was an instance of the United States using brutal tactics to colonize the Philippines.

To maintain neutrality in foreign affairs, Jefferson banned American trade with Britain and France. This led to a short-term depression that hurt many poor and working-class people.

The decision to stage a failed coup in Cuba, on the false assumption that most of its citizens would support it, resulted in the Cuban Missile Crisis, with nuclear missiles positioned to destroy the entire country. Thankfully, Kennedy handled it successfully.

This almost caused a nuclear war.

Despite explicit warnings from many economists, Hoover's belief in protectionism led him to sign this tariff. It resulted in a trade war that worsened the Great Depression.

These acts suppressed freedom of speech, violating the First Amendment, and made it much harder for immigrants to find employment. The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were passed in response, and these resolutions were also one of the causes of the Civil War.

This prolonged the Great Depression by at least seven years.