A plurality of Republicans say that 40th President Ronald Reagan and 45th President Donald Trump were the best leaders of the United States in the last 40 years, with the former California governor and movie star narrowly beating the former real estate mogul and reality show fixture.
Polling from Pew Research determined that 41% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say Reagan was the best president, compared to 37% who gave Trump the honor. Behind the two men are 43rd President George W. Bush at 5%, and his father President George H.W. Bush at 4%.
Republican presidential preference seemed to depend on age, with 50% of those over the age of 50 declaring Reagan the best president, compared to 29% who prefer Trump.
President Ronald Reagan with Donald and Ivana Trump in 1985 (Regan Library)
Trump’s strongest support, when broken down by age, came from those aged 18-29. 40% of respondents in that age group called Trump the best modern president.
Notably, Pew Research reported that two thirds of those who declared Trump to be the best president said Reagan was the second best, while 17% named another Republican and 14% named a Democrat. Among those who said Reagan was the best president, however, 55% named Trump second best, 31% named another Republican, and 13% named a Democrat.
Trump is also preferred against Hispanic Republicans, with 43% declaring him the best president, compared to 26% answering Reagan.
Democrats, meanwhile, overwhelmingly believe that 44th President Barack Obama was the best recent president, with 58% saying he was the best in the past 40 years.
Behind Obama is 42nd President Bill Clinton, who 19% of Democrats say is the best president, and Joe Biden, who is preferred by only 7% of Democrats.
The survey of 10,069 Americans was conducted between July 10 and July 16, after Trump had been charged with several crimes, but before the indictments claiming he engaged in an illegal scheme to overthrow the 2020 election were made public.
