Top 10 Most Overrated U.S. Presidents

Some presidents have legacies that outlast their actual actions. Here they are.
The Top Ten
1 Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004) was an American politician and actor who was 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Prior to his presidency, he was the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to 1975, following a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader until his death in 2004

Thank God he's number 1 on this list. Let's start with the fact that 138 members of his administration were indicted or convicted of crimes. Reaganomics obliterated the middle class, he completely ignored the AIDS crisis, made the war on drugs 10 times worse, and is responsible for the worst scandal in American foreign policy history. Took credit for an already collapsing Soviet Union, and flooded the White House with hyper conservative white supremacist evangelical conspiracy theorists. And the worst part is, we stop think he's a GREAT president!

2 Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 to 1945. A Democrat, he won a record four presidential elections and dominated his party for many years as a central figure in world events... read more

If I'm not wrong, FDR may have exacerbated the Great Depression by 7 Years. He also oversaw the Internment camps of Japan, wanted to pack the Supreme Court in his favor (I don't think the Supreme Court should even be Partisan to begin with in any way), wanted to confiscate Gold to the Federal Reserve, stayed neutral when the Nazis were clearly committing inhumane aggression until it took Pearl Harbor to get us involved, and generally was among our more Authoritarian Presidents. I never liked his weird relationship with Stalin either. Not a very good president. His World War 2 Leadership was of course a big boost, I do not deny that, but to say his authoritarian tendencies were not there is wrong.

3 Barack Obama 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

The most unqualified person to ever be elected to our nation's highest office, not even completing even one term as a senator, won that State Senate election without any opposition, and not having any personal accomplishments prior. He did have the distinction of being our country's first interracial black/white president, not fully black, which is probably why the racist democratic party, the founding party of the KKK tolerated him, just Google his vice president's description of him to verify! He seemed to hate America, and wanted to "Fundamentally Transform" America into a Socialist Nation. Did not even know how many states were in the USA while campaigning. Even his own wife stated that she was not proud to be American until her husbands election to president. He Had connections with several well known socialists/communists like Frank Marshal Thomas, Early mentor to Obama, who was rumored to be his real father, which was the real reason his birth certificate was highly desired, however the media deflected this narrative by successfully forwarding the false narrative that the reason for the certificate was to prove that he was not a citizen and thus could not legally hold office, but that was not the case. Other communists: Addie Wyatt; Vernon Jarrett father-in-law of Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett; and Socialist/communist organizations such as ACORN.

4 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, somewhere near the then-unmarked border between North and South Carolina, into a recently immigrated Scots-Irish farming family of relatively... read more

He is so bad. I don't like swearing and I don't like when people swear, but he had a parrot named Poll that repeated his swear words! And he swore when he's angry.

That doesn't necessarily mean he's bad, but I just think that's funny.

Not doubt he was the worst president we have ever had he did absolutely nothing all he did was kick natives out.

5 George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732– December 14, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army, Washington led the Patriot... read more

The only thing that this man did right or above average in the war was morale. He had this idealist view that the war would have this romantic ending in New York, and he could not get over the fact for years that it was not going to happen. He was a hubristic man because he preferred fighting in the traditional fighting style in which he was obviously losing, and even when his brilliant generals under him decided that he should adopt a war of posts, or a Fabian tactic, he was reluctant. He was impressive however at Valley Forge, even though he was not exceptional. People regarded him as this almost sort of a deity and this facade gave the militiamen something to believe in. At most, he was a mascot or a cheerleader of a football team.

6 John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29th, 1917 - November 22, 1963) commonly referred to by his initials JFK, was an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination. The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Nuclear Test Ban... read more

There is no doubt that he is one of the most popular and well known Presidents. He was beloved by all the people . You know that he was a womanizer but still you can't help but excuse that because you are lured by his charm, yes he was handsome! But still you can't count him as a very great president.

Through his 3 years, JFK only had a shaky economy and the mishandling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He didn't do much. He might not have had a lot of time to do anything, but the legacies of people should be considered based on their actions, not their potential.

7 Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American businessman, television personality, politician, and the 45th 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 University of Pennsylvania in 1968... read more

He is not first because the topic is most overrated and not worst president. With the majority of Americans realizing he is the worst President in history he can only be overrated by the minority of racists.

This list is for actual presidents, not morons who think they're an actual president.

He said Nambia is a country... then he said said he meant Narnia. Both aren't countries. He is dumb like my teacher.

8 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.

Woodrow Wilson was zero sugar Mussolini. His racial views were egregious, segregating the Federal Government and other general Jim Crow-ish measures, along with screening 'Birth of a Nation' at the White House when the Ku Klux Klan were at their peak. In the palmer raid, thousands of people were arrested and deported without so much as a warrant, understandably after the attempted assassinations but it was complete overkill. He helped establish the APL and CPI with the expressed purpose of monitoring and suppressing dissent, resulting in many Americans being intimidated, harassed and incarceration for simple free speech. Then there was the debauchery of the Sedition Act. It became a crime to so much as speak out against the Government, Constitution, Flag and Military. Can't forget the Espionage act either.

Perhaps the worst aspect of Wilson is how his geopolitical policies played out, it potentially set the stage for World War 2. He helped set the conditions for the Treaty of Versailles that Hitler rallied against later on down the line. He left territorial and economic problems unsolved that Communists and Fascists capitalized on. His isolationist legacy allowed the rise of totalitarianism in Europe and Asia and allowed them to go unchecked.

Wilson was a horrid president, to say the least.

9 Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father who was principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and served as the 3rd President of the United States from 1801-1809. He was born on April 13, 1743, and died on July 4, 1826, on the same day 2nd United States President John Adams died.

Most of his policies were disaterous, and even his successes required others to carry the heavy load for him.

10 Lyndon B. Johnson 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.

While FDR and (especially) Truman wanted/achieved Federal Benefits and Federal Aid... This man absolutely knowingly opened the floodgates to absolute Federal DEPENDENCE, too many people abuse every help GIVEN to them and still expect more. His tombstone should read "the taxpayer will pick up the bill"
Yes his racial/domestic progress is wonderful but he's the president that started this snowball turned avalanche we call a debt.

By the way Reagan doesn't belong on any overrated list with at least 20 candidates. He did inherit jimmy carter's pathetic tenure. But it was more than that, the transparency, the assurance only he could deliver, and the fact that the man won... And won every single deal was premeditated.

The Contenders
11 George W. Bush 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 don't think the man did 9/11 or anything like that, but he and Obama destroyed our image on the world stage and set in the era of populist authoritarian politics and the beginning of it really started with him. Lying about Iraq, getting rid of Saddam (who was a horrible despot who needed to go regardless I think) with no plan after and attempted to force Liberal Democratic values on an area that didn't agree with it. He botched the response to Katrina and was particularly soft on leaders like Vladimir Putin.

12 Bill Clinton 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

Bill Clinton's bombing of the Al Shifa hospital in Sudan helped exacerbate the many diseases that ravaged Africa and destroyed the pharmaceutical industry in Sudan. It also decreased stability in Sudan, who were already under the reign of the brutal dictatorship of Omar Al-Bashir.

He also pushed for Chinese industry and trade, harming the American middle class in the process and helping legitamize the oppressive authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party.

I think the most underlooked, but infuriating aspect about his presidency is the fact he was briefed on an Al Qaeda terrorist plot he brushed off even after the embassy bombings of 98. That plot would come to fruition 3 years later on September 11 2001 and 2,977 Americans would die, dragging us into war and helping destroy our public image on the world stage.

Also, why the hell did he hang out with Epstein even after he was a known child diddler? Really Bill?

13 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,... read more

Declared Martial law without consent of congress, drafted thousands of men to their deaths without consent and to top it off he seems to get credit for the freeing of slaves even though he didn't care at all about freeing them.

Worshipped in the media to condition the people into accepting tyrants like Bush and Wilson.

Belongs #1 on this list. He didn't free a single slave, was actually against abolition and believed in the inferiority of blacks. Suspended habeas corpus, illegally invaded the southern states, refused peaceful alternatives to emancipation, had newspapers shut down and had people arrested, deported, and even executed who criticized him.

14 Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt was an American statesman, author, explorer, soldier, naturalist, and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909. As a leader of the Republican Party during this time, he became a driving force for the Progressive Era in the United States in the... read more

Although changing around the way the government handled big business, TR was not the best when it came to actual legislation and solving problems. His greatest achievement might be the Meat Inspection Act and that was spurred because of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle".

15 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.

Awful presidency. He may have had an energy policy, but much of his presidency was dominated by foreign affairs and he actually escalated the Cold War.

Carter had huge indecision with the economy, switching his platform several times. He had no real authority or confidence in his presidency.

16 Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States, an American politician of the Democratic Party.

But also, China fell to Mao under his tenure, he fired MacArthur and scapegoated him for his own failures, he also passed the anti-Lynching bill, which is not a problem on it's own, but because of how mild the punishment was. The fine was 1-5k and 5 years in prison for lynching. That is incredibly mild for actual murder. His handling of Israel-Palestine during Israel's birth and the early conflicts weren't great.

17 James Madison James Madison, Jr. was a political theorist, American statesman, and served as the fourth President of the United States.
18 James K. Polk 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.

It depends what you're opinion of a "good" president is. Polk did get a great amount of land from Mexico. However, he did so forcefully and was a very poor act of imperialism. Although the ends were good, the means weren't as much.

Stole Mexican land by starting an unecessary war. Bottom 10 in my opinion

19 Calvin Coolidge John Calvin Coolidge Jr. was an American politician and the 30th President of the United States. A Republican lawyer from New England, born in Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor.
20 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. Prior to assuming the presidency, Bush served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States under Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1989.

"Read my lips. No new taxes."

Taxes are raised.

21 Ulysses S. Grant 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.
22 Andrew Johnson 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].
23 Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland was an American politician and lawyer who was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, the only president in American history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office.

Garbage president, and even a worse human-being.

24 John Adams 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.

Gosh, it's John QUINCY Adams that should be here, not John Adams. He saved this nation from a war that was unnecessary. And that is why he served only one term.

25 Richard Nixon 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

Nothing that good really went on during his presidency. He abused the power of his role and didn't have a real exit strategy to Vietnam. Some people believe that Watergate overshadows his accomplishments as president, but there weren't many in the first place.

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