A new poll has placed Donald Trump at the top of a list that few public figures would want to lead. The former and current US president was chosen by more people than several famous names linked to serious crimes and dark moments in American history.
The survey also asked Americans to name the greatest people and moments in the country’s history. The results showed strong differences in how people view famous leaders, entertainers, and major events.
Trump Leads the List of Worst Americans
A YouGov survey released on July 1 asked Americans who they thought was the worst American in US history. The poll was carried out before the country’s 250th birthday.
Trump received 32% of the responses. This put him well ahead of every other person included in the results.
The survey included 1,110 US adults. They were asked between June 23 and June 25. The names in the poll came from answers given in an earlier open-ended survey.
Famous Names Fell Behind Trump
Trump’s result stood out because the list also included some of America’s most infamous figures.
Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer received 8% of the responses. Another well-known killer, Ted Bundy, received 4%.
Trump’s 32% was also much higher than the result for Charles Manson. The famous cult leader received 6% of the vote.
Benedict Arnold, who is remembered for betraying the American side during the Revolutionary War, received only 3%.
Other Political Stars Also Made the List
Trump was not the only US president named among the people viewed negatively.
Barack Obama received 8% and shared fourth place with Jeffrey Dahmer. Joe Biden received 6%, putting him in fifth place.
The results show how strongly some Americans view recent presidents. They also show that opinions about political leaders can be very different from views of historical figures.
The survey did not ask people to choose from a fixed list. YouGov said the names were based on answers from an earlier question.
Democrats and Republicans Had Very Different Views
The poll showed a large political gap when people were asked about Trump.
Among Democrats, 64% named Trump as the worst American in US history. Among Republicans, only 4% chose him.
This large difference shows how divided Americans are over Trump’s public career and political role.
Trump has remained one of the most talked-about figures in US politics. His supporters and critics often have very different views of his record.
Lincoln Was Named America’s Greatest
The same polling project also asked Americans to name the greatest American in history.
Abraham Lincoln came first, with 18% of the responses. He was followed by George Washington at 13%.
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. came next with 12%. The results put three major historical figures at the top of the list.
The survey shows that presidents and public leaders remain a major part of how Americans think about their country’s history.
Einstein, Tesla and Michael Jackson Made the List
Several famous stars and well-known thinkers also appeared among the names chosen as great Americans.
Albert Einstein received 4% of the responses. Inventor Nikola Tesla also received 4%, while Thomas Edison received 3%.
Entertainment icon Michael Jackson received 2%. His place on the list shows that Americans also connect their country’s history with major figures from entertainment and culture.
These names came from very different fields, but each has had a strong place in American popular culture or history.
The poll also asked people to choose the greatest moments in US history.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 received 10% of the responses. Barack Obama’s 2008 election received 9%, while the US victory in World War II also received 9%.
Women gaining the right to vote and Trump’s 2016 election were tied at 7%.
Other events included the national unity seen after September 11, the moon landing, and the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Slavery Was Seen as the Worst Moment
When Americans were asked about the worst moments in US history, slavery came first with 24% of the responses.
The 2016 election of Trump came next at 16%. The 2024 election of Biden received 11%.
The Biden election was tied with the treatment of Native Americans. The January 6 Capitol attack received 9%.
Other events named included racial segregation, the atomic bombings of Japan, the Vietnam War, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
The Results Show a Deep Divide
The poll paints a picture of a country with very different views of its leaders and history.
Trump’s position at the top of the worst-person list was especially striking because his result was higher than those of several infamous figures. At the same time, the strong political split between Democrats and Republicans shows that the result is closely tied to political views.
The survey also shows that Americans can place very different people and events side by side when judging the country’s history. From Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. to Michael Jackson and Trump, the results reflect a wide range of views about America’s most famous figures.
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