Politics

Neil Young Calls Trump the “Worst President” in U.S. History

Neil Young called Trump the “worst president” in a March 2026 post. The musician’s criticism—and his 2020 lawsuit over campaign use of his music—are part of a wider political debate.

AI-assisted editorial illustration showing Neil Young and Donald Trump in separate visual areas.
An editorial illustration representing Neil Young’s criticism of Donald Trump.HOURLY / AI-ASSISTED EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATION

Neil Young renewed his criticism of President Donald Trump in a March 2026 post on his Neil Young Archives website. Young wrote that politics felt “sad and depressing” and said he was channeling his feelings into new music. He also called Trump “the worst president in the history of our country.” That is Young’s political judgment, not an objective historical ranking.

Young’s criticism of Trump’s campaign dates back several years. In August 2020, he sued Trump’s reelection campaign over its use of songs including “Rockin’ in the Free World” at campaign events. In the complaint, Young said he respected Americans’ right to support the candidate of their choice, but did not want his music used as the theme song for what he called a “divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”

The remarks have become part of a wider debate about Trump’s presidency and the MAGA movement. Critics may see Young’s words as a warning about political division. Trump’s supporters may reject that description and point to the administration’s policy priorities as reasons for their support.

Whether Trump is the “worst” president, or whether MAGA has made the country more divided, depends on how people weigh presidential conduct, policies and outcomes. Readers can share their views in the poll below. This poll reflects participating readers and is not a scientific survey of public opinion.

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