Most Underrated U.S. Presidents In History
William Jefferson Clinton (Born August 19th 1946) is an American politician who was the 42nd President of the United States. He previously served as governor of Arkansas. He became president after unseating incumbent president George H.W. Bush in 1992. He was re-elected in 1996 after defeating Senator... read more People only remember him from his Impeachment attempt. He left the presidency with a surplus, did so much for the country, and while this may not seem amazing, he was the 2nd president to open an olympics.
Brilliant, relatable and left us with a surplus! Great president. I was proud of our country with him at the helm.
Amazing president who did so much good for the country and had innumerable achievements...even with a republican, obstructive, congress!
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. Prior to assuming the presidency, Bush served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989. George Bush Sr. is way underrated as a president. Think of all the things that was on his watch in four short years: the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union, Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, German reunification, tensions with China (Tiananmen Square), the cleanup of the saving and loans crisis, the first Gulf War, and the overthrow of Manuel Noriega. Most presidents didn’t have this many important circumstances in the course of eight years, where he dealt with all of this in four. He handled them all very well. With almost all presidents you can look back on their presidency and find things that would have been better if they would have handled a particular situation differently; not so much for Bush Sr. He is usually ranked about 20th, this is way too low for how well he handled these significant events.
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African-American president of the United States... read more This President has faced more opposition as President than all the others, yet God always brings h out of it smelling like a rose. If God is for you, who can stand against you. When God opens or closes a door no one can close it or open it. Let's remember if God ordained it, it is so and our arms are to short to box with Him. His will be done.
Well, I don't underrate him but when you see him as number one on worst presidents, that's not really under rating, it's more like jealousy or racism. Really, you may disagree with his policies but the things this man was able to accomplish with no help from Congress are amazing.
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr (October 1, 1924 - December 29, 2024) was 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 created the Department of Energy.
He appointed Volcker to the Fed.
He had a relatively peaceful presidency.
He didn't cause the horrible economy of the 70s. He inherited it. Not only that, but he tried to fix it twice, but the American people wouldn't let him. He suggested transitioning to nuclear energy, but he couldn't get that through. Then, he suggested that people cut down on unneccisary consumption, but people got angry about that. It wasn't until Volcker, the person Carter appointed to the Fed, hiked up interest rates that the economy began to improved.
Reagan didn't end the stagflation, Carter did.
Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969. Crooked as a country back road. Responsible for thousands of dead people voting, but really the Gulf of Tonkin Incident alone makes him possibly the worst ever, given how Viet Nam has resonated in our history since then.
Possibly the most corrupt president in US history, but most of it was not uncovered until after his death, so he seems to get a pass.
The best and most accomplished domestic President ever. Vietnam stands out but he was great
Chester Alan Arthur was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st President of the United States; he succeeded James A. Garfield upon the latter's assassination. Chester Arthur took over for James Garfield after he was assassinated. And did a pretty good job!
James Monroe was an American statesman and Founding Father who served as the fifth President of the United States from 1817 to 1825. James Monroe. Who is he? He was the last Founding Father to be president (that's why he's in the shadow of the first four), he nearly got rid of sectionalism and political parties during the Era of Good Feelings. he was so popular he ran unopposed for a second term. He was prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia (a slave free country) and the American Colonization Society (he even has the capital of Liberia named after him). He established the Monroe Doctrine so Europe wont make colonies in Latin America to stop the rebellion there. He fought in the America Revolution and took a bullet to the shoulder. He was the Secretary of State and Secretary of War during Madison's presidency and was more than prepared to take on the role of a president.
So yeah, he's really underrated as both president and Founding Father.
James Knox Polk was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He previously was Speaker of the House of Representatives and governor of Tennessee. I wouldn't say most underrated president but yes a very good president the didn't get enough credit.
The only president who actually did everything he said he would do
The most underrated president by far..
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.
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States from 1969 until his resignation in 1974, the only president to resign from office. He had previously served as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961, and prior to that as a U.S. Representative and also Senator... read more Nixon was a crook overall, he was underrated because of the things that made him the worst president in US history. Sure, he withdrawn troops from Vietnam, Opened relationships with Communist China as well as the USSR and Introducing an Environmental Protection Agency. But, the reality of Nixon was the Watergate Scandal, spying on political opponents which made him win the 1972 election proves to much of a corrupt president he was.
I disagree to an extent. I believe that, yes, Richard Nixon had some good policies, and some terrible ones, but what makes him awful is the fact that he tried to cover up a scandal that he wasn't even involved in! It was a dumb move caused by his paranoia that he feared getting kicked out of office. We gave him power, and look what he decided to do with it!
The Newcomers
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who is the 46th president of the United States. 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 United States Senate from... read more Great unifier. Tasked with cleaning up the country after we had the worst abomination in the White House
Unbelievable brave kind compassionate persevering leader.
Really put us back on track. Hero
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States, serving immediately prior to the American Civil War.
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. The last honest Democrat to serve the oval office, comming from a conservative. I say that because there is no way in hell he would be a Democrat today.
One of the most honest presidents.
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. I'm astonished John Tyler never criminalized infidelity, if he did I would consider him a president of virtue, many presidents never do/done enough during their rein.
What did he really do wrong, though?
No. He was one of history's worst.
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States; he was the grandson of the ninth President, William Henry Harrison. Yes a tad underrated. But how do you beat someone and then four years later you lose to them? I don't understand that. But still a good president.
John Adams was born on October 30, 1735 in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. Adams served as the president of the United States from March 4, 1797 to March 4, 1801. He died on July 4, 1826 at the age of 90. He prevented war with France. While not the best for signing the Alien and Sedition Acts, he did that because he thought it would hold the union together. He also helped build the economy. Definitely the most underrated founding founder (with James Madison).
The 2nd president of the United States of America! He did a great Job as president. A founding father. Amazing president.
Don't want to bring up all the old Canadian-American arguments, Alpha101, but... we won the War of 1812!
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States, serving from March 1849 until his death in July 1850. Before his presidency, Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to the rank of major general. I'm not saying that he was a good president. What I'm saying is that if he lived longer then we might have known him for being one of the best. People misjudge him because he was a slave owner.
He is my third to favorite president. Super underrated. Remove Grant and place Taylor and remove Jefferson for Madison
Only 16 months in office but in those 16 months he did a great job.
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. Johnson became president as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of [Abraham Lincoln]. How could someone think he is underrated?
Martin Van Buren was an American statesman who served as the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841.
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American politician and general who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. Yes underrated! First president of all 50 states! And created the highway system! Great president. And he did a lot with the war!
Most underrated in my opinion, I never heard anyone bring him up in the discussion for greatest presidents
William Howard Taft served as the 27th President of the United States and as the tenth Chief Justice of the United States, the only person to have held both offices.
James Madison, Jr. was a political theorist, American statesman, and served as the fourth President of the United States. James Madison is almost the forgotten founding father and an underrated president. Jefferson gets a lot of the attention, Hamilton is on the $10 bill, and Ben Franklin is on the $100. Where is James Madison’s due? Like the other person’s review in this article wrote, he is the Father of the Constitution for crying out loud. He usually ranks around 18th; I think he should be a little higher than that. My main gripe is he seems to take the back seat with the other founding fathers. In my view he is the most important founding father.
Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and statesman who served as Commanding General of the Army and the 18th President of the United States, the highest positions in the military and the government of the United States. Held the country together after the Civil War. Created lasting positive relations with Great Britain after the Alabama affair. Brought diversity to the government and protected the rights of African Americans and Native Americans in an era of extreme racism while being aware of the need to also protect States Rights. His major downfall was he trusted too many dishonest men and was considered corrupt by association. This is just plain wrong and unjust for one of the most under rated men to ever hold the office of president
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from August 1974 to January 1977. A good, steady, underrated president.
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States from 1877 to 1881, an American congressman, and governor of Ohio. Hayes was a lawyer and staunch abolitionist who defended runaway slaves in court proceedings.
George Walker Bush is an American politician and businessman who was born in July 6, 1946. He served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. He is the eldest son of Barbara and George H. W. "I Hate him. His dad, George Bush, Is Innocent but he is Terrible. George Bush was Teased by Both Political Parties for Being to Gentle, an he Thought the Republicans Treated him Better. So Poppy is and Underranted Republican. George W. Bush Didn't Listen to HIDS and Decided to do his own Thing, he Also Wanted Another Pressuring Settlement in Iraq, Making us Have war on Them to Make Them Learn Their Lesson but Another war Will Make it Worse! Dubya ("W") is so Underrated but to Some Scholars say he's Underrated, but They can Have Opinions."
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 at the peak of a political career during which he served in various capacities as diplomat, United States Senator, United States Secretary of State,... read more