SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Throughout history, Donald Trump has made notable references to Abraham Lincoln, oscillating between admiration and criticism. This has led many to ponder why the 45th president, aiming for the title of 47th, often finds opportunities to mention the 16th president.
In a video released in December 2022 to promote “Trump digital trading cards,” Trump stated, “This is Donald Trump, hopefully your favorite president of all time, better than Lincoln, better than Washington.” This sentiment exemplifies Trump’s pattern of drawing parallels with Lincoln, asserting he has faced greater hardships than Lincoln and has done more to uplift Black Americans than anyone since Lincoln. This theme has become a staple in Trump’s distinctive oratory style, which blends random cultural references, warnings about Democratic leadership, personal grievances, and self-promotion that he refers to as “the weave.”
On October 13, Trump brought Lincoln into an attack on Kamala Harris, saying, “What the hell is wrong with our country? Look, we used to have the greatest — Abraham Lincoln. Now look at this stuff. Can you believe what we’re doing? She’s so bad.” His dismissal of Harris represents just one of many occasions where he utilizes Lincoln’s legacy to frame contemporary political discourse.
Days later, during an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” a young caller asked Trump about his favorite president during his childhood. Although he mentioned Ronald Reagan—despite being an adult during Reagan’s administration—Trump eventually shifted to Lincoln while questioning the Civil War. “Lincoln was probably a great president, although I’ve always said why wasn’t that settled?” Trump mused, implying that if he were at the helm, current global conflicts wouldn’t exist.
Harold Holzer, a prominent Lincoln biographer and chairman of the Lincoln Forum, expressed skepticism about Trump’s reinterpretation of Lincoln’s legacy. He remarked that Trump’s approach appears to embody “malice toward some, and then malice toward many and ultimately, even malice toward Lincoln.” Throughout history, many political figures have sought to align themselves with Lincoln’s legacy, but typically without making direct comparisons.
For instance, Barack Obama famously declared his presidential candidacy in 2007 at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, the same location where Lincoln once worked. This year, he invoked Lincoln’s call for unity during the Democratic National Convention. Comparatively, past leaders like Gerald Ford and Adlai Stevenson have expressed humble recognition of their own leadership roles in relation to Lincoln’s.
According to Justin Vaughn, a presidential scholar at Coastal Carolina University, Trump’s method of engaging with the legacy of past presidents is unique and often lacks the subtlety displayed by his predecessors. While he continually keeps one eye on Lincoln, Trump doesn’t limit his controversial comparisons. He once suggested that former President Jimmy Carter might feel relieved Biden has received a harsher reception historically.
Vaughn noted that Trump’s dynamic relationship with Lincoln likely reflects his ambition to build his own legacy. Scholarly surveys, such as the Presidential Greatness Project, consistently rate Lincoln as the greatest president, while Trump typically appears at the bottom of such lists—a comparison that has sparked contention between Trump and Biden.
Vaughn also commented on Trump’s notion that the Civil War might have been averted had he been in charge, claiming that such negotiations could have produced better outcomes. However, Holzer argued that the Civil War was likely unavoidable due to the fundamental issues surrounding slavery that persisted in American society.
Trump continually asserts that he has done more for Black Americans than any other leader since Lincoln, citing his administration’s criminal justice reforms and the establishment of opportunity zones aimed at fostering investments in neglected communities. However, Lincoln’s legacy prominently features the Emancipation Proclamation and his role in the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, well before his tragic assassination.
Daina Ramey Berry, an expert on slavery’s history at the University of California-Santa Barbara, stated that an accurate comparison is impossible based on the monumental differences in the actions taken by Lincoln and Trump, emphasizing Lincoln’s enduring reputation as the Great Emancipator.
The speculative reactions of Lincoln, known for his humility, to Trump’s rhetoric remain uncertain. Historical anecdotes reveal Lincoln’s self-effacing nature, such as a moment where he refrained from contributing financially to aid a colleague’s torn trousers, preferring to scribble a humorous note instead.