President Donald Trump has emerged as a prominent figure in a recent YouGov poll that surveyed Americans to name both the worst and greatest individuals in their history. The poll was conducted as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. Trump’s presence on both lists highlights his status as one of the nation’s most divisive figures.
While some view Trump as a symbol of American greatness, others consider him a negative example. This division in opinion is evident in the poll results, showing a stark partisan divide. Among Republicans, Trump is regarded considerably more favorably, whereas Democrats have a largely negative perception of him. Barack Obama is the only other president appearing on both lists.
Lincoln Leads the ‘Greatest’ List
According to the YouGov poll, 34 percent of respondents see Trump as the worst American in history. This group comprises 64 percent Democrats, 34 percent independents, and 4 percent Republicans. Others in this category include Jeffrey Epstein, serial killers Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy, and Democratic presidents Obama and Joe Biden.
As for the greatest American, Abraham Lincoln tops the list with 18 percent of respondents choosing him, a sentiment shared almost equally by both Democrats and Republicans. Trump is named the greatest American by 8 percent of total respondents, receiving the highest share from Republicans at 24 percent.
No Democrats and only 2 percent of independents classified Trump as the greatest American. Such results emphasize the enduring partisan divide over Trump’s legacy and performance, with Republicans rating him significantly more positively compared to Democrats.
Other figures recognized as great Americans include former president George Washington, who received 13 percent, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with 12 percent, and former president Obama with 10 percent of the vote.
The YouGov survey included two online samples. The first was conducted between June 23-25 with 1,110 participants, and the second from June 24-27 with 1,118 participants. The results were weighted to represent key demographics of American adults, and the margin of error for these samples is approximately +/- 4 percentage points.
This polling process involved multiple stages. Initially, open-ended questions were posed to gather opinions about American history and significant figures. These responses were then used to evaluate opinions on specific individuals and issues. YouGov also noted its intention to release a future survey focusing on prominent women in American history, addressing the current emphasis on male figures.