★ ★ ★America First · Est. 2026Founding cohort now forming. Claim a Founder seat
20th President · 1881 · Republican

James A. Garfield

Assassinated six months into his term. Not enough record to grade.

Too short a tenure to grade.

OverallInc

The grades

  1. SovereigntyDid they put American interests first and keep decisions in American hands?
    Inc
  2. HemisphereDid they guard the Americas against rival powers and threats?
    Inc
  3. RestraintDid they keep the country out of wars of choice that weakened it?
    Inc
  4. StatecraftDid they use diplomacy, force and alliances skillfully, on American terms?
    Inc
  5. Industry and tradeDid they protect and build American industry?
    Inc
  6. Working AmericansDid ordinary working families do better because of them?
    Inc
  7. BuildingDid they build things that lasted and push the frontier forward?
    Inc
  8. NationDid they strengthen a shared American identity and the Union?
    Inc
  9. CompetenceWere they capable, honest and effective in office?
    Inc

On the axes

MarketEconomyPopulist
Free tradeTradeProtectionist
RestraintForeign policyInterventionist
CosmopolitanNationNational

Dark dot: James A. Garfield. Red mark: the Monroe Society. Ideological closeness to the Society: 83%.