UNVERIFIED

Determining the "best" president is naturally a bit subjective, but Abraham Lincoln is the clear consensus choice among historians and experts 124. According to the 2024 Presidential Greatness Survey, Lincoln has held the #1 spot for a long time, though Franklin D. Roosevelt recently overtook George Washington for the #2 position 4. Other major studies, like the C-SPAN 2021 survey, also rank Lincoln first, citing his extraordinary leadership during the Civil War 2. While scholars focus on historical impact, the general public sometimes prefers more recent figures; for example, many Americans name Barack Obama or Ronald Reagan as the best of their own lifetimes 58. Additionally, leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower are frequently celebrated in the top ten for their strength and integrity 279. Ultimately, while there is no single factual answer, Lincoln remains the gold standard in presidential rankings 14.