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Trump Posts Truth Social Ranking Declaring Himself 'The Greatest'

Adapting a 1948 LIFE ranking, omitting about a dozen presidents including Ronald Reagan, the post draws broad ridicule that could harm his midterm messaging.

Overview

  • On Thursday President Donald Trump posted a Truth Social graphic that sorts U.S. presidents into six tiers and places him alone at the top labeled “The Greatest.”
  • The chart uses categories from “Great” to “Failures,” lists Lincoln, Washington and FDR as “Great,” and puts Joe Biden and Barack Obama in the lowest “Failures” tier.
  • Reporters found the image leaves out roughly 11 presidents — notably Ronald Reagan and both Bushes — and closely resembles a 1948 LIFE magazine ranking by Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr.
  • Commentators from across the political spectrum mocked the self-placement and omissions, with many conservatives singling out the Reagan absence as an obvious gaffe.
  • The post is being read as part of a pattern of curated historical messaging on Truth Social, follows recent AI-image posts by the president, and could pressure his political optics in the run-up to the midterm elections.