Top Ten Most Honest U.S. Presidents

1. Abraham Lincoln

   

   Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War and succeeded in preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, bolstering... read more

   The greatest of them all! Abraham Lincoln was an amazing leader, and unlike too many presidents, a great man as well.

   He was honest, led America through the Civil War, and deserves his #1 spot!

   No one really knows what Lincoln believed in his heart, but as a statesman, a speaker, and a negotiator, he was brilliant.

   He had his faults, but he is, in my opinion, the most honest.

2. Jimmy Carter

   

   James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician and author who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Carter Center. He is the longest-lived president in U.S. history.

   Carter was not a careless and heartless president. He was forgiving despite delivering weak leadership. The oil and fuel scarcity may have given him a headache in office because of Nixon's policies. But he was honest and managed to show compassion even after losing greatly against Reagan. He will be remembered as the most honest president of the late 70s.

   He should be number 1. I feel like his mediocre presidency is getting in the way of people seeing the stellar character of this man. His charity is near ridding the world of guinea worm (an awful, painful waterborne parasite). Say what you will about his time in office, but this man's morality and honesty cannot be questioned.

3. George Washington

   

   George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799) was the first President of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War and presided over the Constitutional Convention of 1787, helping to shape the U.S. Constitution and... read more

   An exceptional leader with strong moral character that earned the respect of a divided set of colonies and drove the formation of a great democracy and nation.

4. John F. Kennedy

   

   John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 - November 22, 1963), commonly known as JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from January 1961 until his assassination. His presidency was marked by the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962), the Bay of Pigs Invasion (April 1961), the signing of... read more

   JFK did not believe in secret societies running the world, and he was the last non-puppet president. In comparison, he was pretty honest.

   Who doesn't love JFK? If he had lived, America would be a much better place. He took a HUGE stand against communism!

   A good man who was felled too early. Not perfect in everyone's eyes, but very underrated.

5. Barack Obama

   

   Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, becoming the first African-American to hold the office. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005 to 2008) and as an Illinois state senator... read more

   Obama was far more educated, aware, compassionate, and forward-thinking than many of the Republican presidents, especially Reagan and Trump. There is no comparison between him and the abominable lies that spewed forth from those two morons on a consistent basis!

   Inexperienced but a great president. Led the USA at a very difficult time after the Great Recession. Was honest, but not close to Jimmy Carter's altruism and virtue of bold honesty.

   Brilliant, educated, knowledgeable, eloquent, kindhearted, articulate with experience, hard work ethic, and morals.

6. Thomas Jefferson

   

   Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 - July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Father who authored the Declaration of Independence and served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He died on July 4, 1826, the same day as John Adams, the second president.

7. Grover Cleveland

   

   Stephen Grover Cleveland was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States.

   On January 20th, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President, joining Cleveland as the only presidents to serve non-consecutive terms.

   Cleveland rose to his positions based on his willingness to stand by his principles and follow through on his promises.

   He focused his presidency on keeping the government honest.

8. Franklin D. Roosevelt

   

   Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 - April 12, 1945), commonly known by his initials FDR, was an American statesman and the 32nd President of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. A Democrat, he was elected to an unprecedented four terms and led the nation through the... read more

   New Deal and social safety nets.

   Social Security.

   Medicare.

   Guided us through WWII and the termination of Adolf Hitler, and ended the Jewish Holocaust.

9. John Quincy Adams

   

   John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 - February 23, 1848) was an American statesman who served as the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. He previously held several important roles, including diplomat, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. As Secretary... read more

10. Andrew Jackson

    

    Andrew Jackson was an American statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837.

    He was born near the end of the colonial era, close to the then-unmarked border between North and South Carolina, into a recently immigrated Scots-Irish farming family of relatively... read more

The Newcomers
11. ?

    George H. W. Bush

    

    George Herbert Walker Bush (June 12, 1924 - November 30, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993. Before becoming president, he served as the 43rd Vice President under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989. He also held several other major roles... read more

    I know it is odd that a former CIA leader would rank so honestly, but I think H.W. Bush was honest to his own detriment. He knew the best way to handle the post-Reagan economy was to get spending under control and raise taxes. It cost him his job (and Clinton benefited greatly from the head start H.W. gave him).

12. ?

    Joe Biden

    

    Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 under President Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the... read more

    Pretty much an open book. According to conservatives, he is a feeble old man and a Bond villain. I think "old" fits, but he is no villain.

    Given time, Joe Biden will be shown to be another one of the greats.

The Contenders

13. Ronald Reagan

    

    Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, he served as the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to 1975 and maintained a career as a Hollywood actor and... read more

    He said he would improve the economy, and he did. He said that the people don't serve the government, and he made sure to serve them instead. He did what he said. Following through is huge in politics.

    I would cast all 10 votes for Reagan, but it won't let me! He's definitely the most honest man who ever led our country.

14. Dwight Eisenhower

    

    Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American politician and military leader who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe.... read more

    Dwight seemed to be very upfront and honest. He came from a different era. You were blunt and honest. His heart knew the truth, I think, but when you're fighting most of your life to save your country, I think it can make you look the other way at times for a greater good.

    He was horrified with the new America that developed after WWII. He was like a grandfather who was disappointed in the turn from loving each other. A hard man but said it as it was.

    Ike had some issues in terms of thinking too much like a soldier (should never have gotten involved in Iran), but at least was relatively honest.

15. Harry S Truman

    

    Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 - December 26, 1972) was the 33rd President of the United States and an American politician from the Democratic Party.

    Harry S. Truman should be in the Top 3 alongside Lincoln and Carter. Why is he #16? Truman was one of the most honest presidents in U.S. history. When he was running for judge of Missouri, the political boss at that time, Tom Prendergast, said, "Politics is a game of friends." Truman responded, "Does that mean I'm supposed to let your friends steal $10,000?!" Prendergast then said, "Is that what all this yelling is about?" Truman said, "Tom, I don't care if it's $10,000 or $100,000. I told you when I agreed to run I wasn't going to stand for any monkey business." Prendergast said, "You will do what I tell you." Truman told Tom, "No sir, I don't work for you. I work for the people of this county."

    Truman cared about the farmers and was quite upset about taking the stolen money, which he thought should be raised through fundraising, not stealing. When he was senator of Missouri, he called out other politicians for being crooks and said himself, "You can't get rich in politics unless you're a crook."

    He left office with a 32% approval rating because he made not the most popular decisions, but the right ones. He wanted to establish civil rights legislation because he didn't like the injustice, but Republican Congress obstructed it. He won an election everyone thought he would lose to Dewey, and he won in spite of the critics calling him a wild accident of history. He was upright, and his values were never questioned.

16. John Adams

    

    John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He served as the second President of the United States from March 4, 1797, to March 4, 1801. He passed away on July 4, 1826, at the age of 90.

    John Adams was a moral and upright man who dealt with a lying press that hated him as much as they hate Trump today. Adams was more honest than they all gave him credit for. He was likely one of our most honest presidents ever.

17. Theodore Roosevelt

    

    Theodore Roosevelt (October 27, 1858 - January 6, 1919) was an American statesman, author, naturalist, soldier, and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he championed trust busting, conservation, and the expansion of federal... read more

    He spoke softly and carried a big stick.

18. Donald Trump

    

    Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York) is an American businessman, television personality, politician, and the 45th and 47th President of the United States.

    Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Donald J. Trump received an economics degree from the Wharton School of the... read more

    Despite all the fuss, drama, hatred, and corrupt lies perpetrated against him, Trump called a spade a spade and was frankly right time and time again. His accomplishments spoke for themselves. He was not part of the corrupt establishment or deep state and is the type of leader we need to at least try to clean it up. No doubt he's a controversial guy, but he was competent and effective.

    What is interesting is, Trump appears to be among the most decent and honest of the modern presidents. When you compare him to Kennedy, LBJ, FDR, Wilson, Eisenhower, Hoover, Bush 41, Bush 43, Clinton, Obama, and Carter, he stands head and shoulders above them in terms of fidelity to this nation and its founding.

19. James K. Polk

    

    James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. Prior to his presidency, he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1835 to 1839 and as Governor of Tennessee from 1839 to 1841. He is noted for overseeing the expansion of the United States through... read more

    He said he would get everything he needed to accomplish done in one term, and that's exactly what he did.

20. James A. Garfield

    

    James Abram Garfield was the 20th President of the United States. He served from March 4, 1881, until his assassination on September 19, 1881. Garfield was in office for only six months before being fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau.

21. Andrew Johnson

    

    Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, having been vice president at the time. Johnson is known for his clashes with Congress during the Reconstruction era and was the first U.S. president... read more

22. Gerald Ford

    

    Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from August 9, 1974, to January 20, 1977. He assumed the presidency following Richard Nixon's resignation and is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected... read more

    An unpretentious man who did what he could with what he was given. There was no way he could have won in '76 with the anchor of his association with Nixon around his neck.

    Faced adversity despite unpopular opinions. When he spoke, you knew he was speaking from the heart, not from D.C.

23. John Tyler

    

    John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States. He was also briefly the tenth Vice President, elected to that office on the 1840 Whig ticket with William Henry Harrison. Tyler became president after Harrison's death, making him the first vice president to succeed to the presidency due to the... read more

24. Woodrow Wilson

    

    Thomas Woodrow Wilson was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Born in Staunton, Virginia, he spent his early years in Augusta, Georgia, and Columbia, South Carolina. Before his presidency, he served as president of Princeton University... read more

25. Calvin Coolidge

    

    John Calvin Coolidge Jr. was an American politician who served as the 30th President of the United States from 1923 to 1929. He was a Republican lawyer from New England, born in Vermont, who advanced through Massachusetts state politics to become governor. Coolidge assumed the presidency upon the death... read more

    "Silent Cal" restored trust in the executive branch after the scandals of the Harding administration. The American people agreed, as shown by his victory with 324 electors in 1924.

    Told it like it is. Never tried to sugarcoat anything. Honestly, the most underrated president of all time.

26. James Madison

    

    James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751 - June 28, 1836) was an American politician, political theorist, Founding Father, and the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817. He's known as the Father of the Constitution for his central role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the... read more

    A very underrated president who also helped with drawing up our Constitution. Not to mention his wife, who was fearless for her country against the British.

    Madison should be much higher than 19. No scandals, almost universally respected by his peers.

27. Ulysses S. Grant

    

    Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and statesman who served as Commanding General of the Army and as the 18th President of the United States. He led the Union Army to victory during the American Civil War. Grant served two presidential terms from 1869 to 1877 and played a major role in Reconstruction... read more

    Grant was an everyman's war dog. Interestingly, his reputation was far worse than the man himself. Many of the habits attributed to him were entirely made up. And let's face it, he won the Civil War for lying Lincoln. Even if I agreed with Lincoln's motives, Honest Abe wasn't so honest.