The President of the United Federation of Planets was one of the most important offices in the entire Star Trek universe, but out of all the people who held the position who was the best Commander in Chief? Responsible for the day-to-day operations of an entire quadrant of the galaxy, the president was in command of Starfleet as its military body and could exercise a certain amount of control on all member planets. A democratically elected position, the UFP President often best represented the core values of the entire Federation, and the office was held by several different species since its founding.
Though the histories and accomplishments of the various presidents have been left vague, or only elaborated on in non-canon novels, the UFP President has nevertheless appeared frequently in Star Trek movies and shows. Tasked with making important decisions that affect the entire galaxy, the office remained strong even after the Federation fell in the 32nd century. Considering the fact that the presidency existed for over 1000 years in the vast Star Trek timeline before its initial dissolution, there were most likely other presidents that have yet to be mentioned who had an important impact on the progress of the future.
Jonathan Archer In 2184
Little is known about Jonathan Archer's time as Federation President between the years 2184 and 2192, but his important adventures and discoveries as captain of the Enterprise made him a prime candidate to originate the office. Canonically speaking, Archer was the first Federation President mentioned, though the Federation itself was founded in 2161 and could have presumably had another office-holder in that span of time. Every captain of the Enterprise brought something new to the big chair, but Archer truly established what it meant to be a starship captain, and he was also integral in the founding of the Federation itself.
Unknown President In 2257
Often a thankless position, Star Trek: Discovery mentioned several presidents that have never actually been seen on screen. In 2257, an unnamed Federation President offered a pardon to Michael Burnham after the mutiny she staged on the U.S.S. Shenzhou during the Battle of the Binary Stars. Their connection was only mentioned in the dialogue of season 1, episode 15, "Will You Take My Hand?" and it was the only detail about that particular presidency that has ever been divulged. Non-canonically, the novel The Assassination Game mentioned a Federation President in the year 2255 named Pellan Fel who was an Andorian and could have possibly been the one in question.
Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.
Human President In 2286
The destruction of the Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock brought iral James T. Kirk into direct confrontation with the Federation President at the time, and the human Commander in Chief meted out punishment that involved demotion. Seen several times in Star Trek III and the sequel Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the president in 2286 offered fans their first glimpse of the actual duties of the Federation's head of state, and his interactions with the council were crucial to the plot. Though his name was never confirmed, several non-canon novel sources, including Articles of the Federation, mentioned his name as being Hiram Roth.
Efrosian President In 2293
Sometime between the events of Star Trek IV and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, the previous Federation President had been replaced by an Efrosian, a race closely tied to the Klingons. Dealing with a sticky political situation due to Kirk and McCoy's arrest for the assassination of Klingon Ambassador Gorkon, the president made important diplomatic steps to ensure peace between the longstanding enemies. Despite his importance to the plot of the film, the president was not named in the script, though the book Articles of the Federation listed his name as Ra-ghoratreii, a name that had been corroborated in other non-canon novels.
Jaresh-Inyo In 2372
President Jaresh-Inyo, the Grazerite who had the unfortunate distinction of being president in the 2370s, saw nothing but political strife during his turbulent tenure in office. The dissolution of the Khitomer Accords lead to increased tensions with the Klingon Empire, and the two-part Star Trek: Deep Space Nine story "Homefront"/"Paradise Lost" chronicled the attempted coup of his government which eventually killed his political career, and he left office sometime before 2375. Jaresh-Inyo was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his ineffectual leadership didn't help matters in the brewing Dominion War. Even if the outcome was inevitable, Jaresh-Inyo wasn't what the Federation needed during that tough time.
Unknown President In 3189
Star Trek: Discovery presented another unnamed president as a storytelling tool in season 3, episode 12, "There Is A Tide..." when the president ordered iral Charles Vance to begin negotiations with the Emerald Chain for the release of the U.S.S. Discovery. While almost nothing was revealed about the faceless and nameless president, it can be assumed that they hailed from one of the few remaining races left in the Federation by 3189. Earth had seceded from the Federation after the events of The Burn, and it was unlikely that the president could have been a human. Regardless, that president's tenure ended within the year, and they were replaced by 3190.
Laira Rillak In 3190
Tasked with handling the most delicate Federation situation since the founding of the institution in 2161, the human, Bajoran, and Cardassian hybrid Laira Rillak oversaw the rebuilding process of the UFP. Following Earth's reing in 3189, things began to look up for the Federation, which had been in shambles since The Burn in 3069. The accomplished diplomat reopened Starfleet Academy, and showed her commitment to building the Federation back with the production of new Starfleet ships. Though the width and breadth of her accomplishments have yet to be fully seen, it was clear that Laira Rillak was the perfect mediator for that difficult period of the Federation's long history.
Laira Rillak Is The Best Federation President So Far
With little actual information to go off of, judging the individual accomplishments of Federation Presidents has never been easy. Only a select few have even appeared onscreen, and even fewer have played a large role in the story being told on TV or in the movies. Despite that, it is clear from her accomplishments in Star Trek: Discovery that President Laira Rillak most exemplified the office of President of the UFP. Not only was she able to guide the Federation back to prominence, but her commitment to exploration showed that she still connected with the principles of both Star Trek and of the organization even a millennium after its founding.