Is Trump The Worst US President? Republican Tops Poll Ahead Of Obama Just Weeks After Taking Office

Donald Trump is already seen as the worst president in the modern history of the United States, a poll of Americans released Wednesday indicated. Asked to identify the worst president since World War II, 26 percent of respondents to the Morning Consult/Politico poll went with the man who entered the White House just four weeks ago.

There was more than a suggestion that party affiliation combined with the recency effect may have played a significant role in the responses. The president who came in second behind Trump as the most unpopular commander in chief was the man Trump replaced in the Oval Office, Barack Obama. A quarter of the 1,791 registered voters polled last week said the Democrat was the worst since Franklin Roosevelt.

Yet 20 percent also responded Obama had been the best president while 47 percent said he would eventually go down as an outstanding or above-average president. In the case of Trump, 38 percent answered that he would go down as a poor president.

And there is further evidence of Trump’s unique unpopularity.

A majority, 53 percent, disapprove of how Trump is governing the country, a Public Policy Polling survey released last week indicated. Indeed, 52 percent would be in favor of having Obama back in office.

Trump’s first weeks as president have been blighted by controversy. There have been widespread protests and court rulings against his ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations while this week his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, resigned over discussions with Russian officials.

The same Public Policy Polling survey indicated 46 percent were in favor of impeaching Trump.

Former President Richard Nixon, who ranks third in the poll of worst modern presidents, garnering 13 percent of the vote, resigned rather than risk being kicked out of office by the Senate. Another Republican, George W. Bush, was fourth with 7 percent. Former President Bill Clinton, who was impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate, ranked fifth.

In terms of the most popular of the modern era, John F. Kennedy was a clear leader. Eighty-four percent of those polled said they viewed him favorably.