Barack Obama is America's 12th best president ever

- A survey by historians have listed former President Barack Obama as 12th best America president ever

- Abraham Lincoln came top on the list of America’s best president

Former President of United States Barack Obama has been listed among the best presidents ever in America.

Obama became the 12th best America president according to a survey by historians.

Obama’s 12th-place ranking only a month after leaving office is the best for any president since Ronald Reagan, who ranks ninth in the new survey.

Barack Obama is 12th best America president ever

According to a report by TIME, historians gave Obama high marks for pursuing equality, managing the economy, public persuasion and “moral authority.” On the other hand, he was judged to have been below-average in handling international relations. Overall, he placed ahead of such generally well-regarded chief executives as James Monroe and James Polk.

Abraham Lincoln maintains the first position; he ranked no lower than fourth in all ten of the criteria by which presidents were judged.

Douglas Brinkley, one of the historian in charge of the survey said: “Once again the Big Three are Lincoln, Washington and FDR — as it should be. That Obama came in at number 12 his first time out is quite impressive.”

Howard University historian Edna Greene Medford, however thought Obama might have ranked even higher.

Medford said: “Historians prefer to view the past from a distance, and only time will reveal his legacy."

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday, February 16, said that he "inherited a mess" from President Barack Obama's administration.

Trump made this known at his first solo news conference, after presenting Alexander Acosta, a former federal prosecutor from Florida, as his nominee for to lead the Department of Labor.