Trump Ranked the Presidents. A Historian Responds

President Donald Trump recently released his own ranking of America's presidents—placing himself at the top while labeling figures such as Barack Obama and Ulysses S. Grant failures. But how does his list hold up to history? Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky joins Bob Crawford to examine Trump's rankings, identify their biggest surprises and omissions, and reveal her own five greatest presidents. She explains why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln belong at the top, why Grant deserves a historical reassessment and why John F. Kennedy may be overrated. Bob and Lindsay also explore the complicated legacies of Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. Plus, Lindsay explains why historians may need at least 30 years—and access to a president's classified records—before they can fairly assess a presidency. Did Trump get any of his rankings right? And who would make your list of America's best and worst presidents? Lindsay Chervinsky is a presidential historian, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic." She also appears in the Netflix documentary series "The American Experiment." Have a question about American history? Send a voice memo, video or email to [email protected] or visit AmericanHistoryHotline.com Your question could inspire a future episode.