Ranking US Presidents by Their Controversies

2. Donald Trump

1. The Russian interference in the 2016 election: Trump’s campaign was investigated for its alleged ties to Russian operatives who interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. While the investigation did not find evidence of direct collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, it did uncover numerous contacts between the two.
2. The Ukraine scandal: In 2019, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in connection with a scandal involving his alleged efforts to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden.
3. The Stormy Daniels scandal: In 2018, it was revealed that Trump had paid hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump in 2006. The payment was made shortly before the 2016 election and raised questions about campaign finance laws and the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence allegations of misconduct.
4. The Muslim travel ban: In 2017, Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries, sparking widespread protests and legal challenges. The ban was later modified and upheld by the Supreme Court.
5. The separation of families at the border: In 2018, Trump’s administration implemented a policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the US-Mexico border, which was widely criticized as cruel and inhumane. The policy was eventually reversed, but not before thousands of families were separated.

3. Bill Clinton

1. The Monica Lewinsky scandal: Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives in 1998. Clinton was ultimately acquitted by the Senate, but the scandal had a major impact on his presidency and legacy.
2. The Whitewater controversy: In the early years of Clinton’s presidency, questions arose about his involvement in a failed real estate venture known as Whitewater. While Clinton was never charged with any wrongdoing in connection with the scandal, it led to a lengthy investigation that ultimately yielded no significant charges.
3. The Travelgate controversy: In 1993, Clinton’s administration fired seven employees of the White House travel office, which handles travel arrangements for the president and his staff. The firings were controversial, and some alleged that they were motivated by a desire to replace the travel office employees with Clinton’s friends and associates.
4. The Filegate controversy: In 1996, it was revealed that the Clinton administration had improperly obtained FBI files on hundreds of individuals, including many of Clinton’s political opponents. The controversy led to a lengthy investigation and calls for an independent counsel to be appointed to investigate.
5. The pardon of Marc Rich: In the final hours of his presidency, Clinton pardoned financier Marc Rich, who had been indicted on charges of tax evasion and other crimes. The pardon was controversial, as many believed that it was granted in exchange for political donations to the Clinton presidential library.

4. F.D.R.

1. The New Deal programs: FDR’s New Deal programs, which aimed to address the economic challenges of the Great Depression, were controversial at the time. Critics argued that the programs represented an overreach of government power and were unconstitutional.
2. The internment of Japanese Americans: In 1942, Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. More than 100,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in internment camps, which many saw as a violation of their civil rights.
3. The court-packing plan: In 1937, FDR proposed a plan to expand the size of the Supreme Court in order to push through his New Deal programs. The plan was controversial and was ultimately unsuccessful, as it was seen as an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary.
4. The lend-lease program: FDR’s lend-lease program, which provided military aid to the Allied powers during World War II, was controversial at the time. Critics argued that the program represented an unconstitutional delegation of war powers to the president.
5. The decision to run for a third term: FDR’s decision to run for a third term as president in 1940 was controversial, as it violated the tradition of a two-term limit for presidents. FDR argued that the challenges of the Great Depression and the looming threat of war justified his continued leadership.

5. Richard Nixon

1. The Watergate scandal: Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal is perhaps the most famous controversy of his presidency. In 1972, members of Nixon’s re-election campaign were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex. Nixon initially denied any involvement in the break-in, but it was later revealed that he had authorized a cover-up of the scandal. Nixon resigned from office in 1974, before he could be impeached.
2. The Vietnam War: Nixon inherited the Vietnam War from his predecessor, Lyndon B. Johnson, and his handling of the conflict was controversial. Nixon expanded the war into Cambodia and Laos, and his administration’s secret bombing campaign was later revealed to the American public, sparking widespread protests.
3. The invasion of Cambodia: In 1970, Nixon ordered a secret invasion of Cambodia to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines. The invasion sparked widespread protests and criticism, and many viewed it as a violation of Cambodia’s sovereignty.
4. The Pentagon Papers: In 1971, the New York Times published a series of classified documents known as the Pentagon Papers, which revealed that the government had lied to the American public about the Vietnam War. Nixon attempted to suppress the publication of the papers and even ordered the break-in of the office of Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower who leaked the papers.
5. The White House tapes: Nixon secretly recorded many of his conversations in the White House, and these tapes later became a major source of controversy during the Watergate scandal. Nixon initially refused to release the tapes, but he was eventually compelled to do so by the Supreme Court.