Chicago, US: In a survey released Wednesday, US President Barack Obama beat out Donald Trump as the man most admired by Americans in 2016.

Twenty-two per cent of those surveyed by Gallup chose Obama, followed by 15 per cent who chose Donald Trump. Pope Francis was a distant third with four per cent. 

Hillary Clinton topped the list of the most admired women in 2016, with 12 per cent of Americans choosing her. 

She and Obama have been at the top of the poll every year since 2008. 

The survey, which tends to favor current and past presidents and first ladies, was released at an especially sensitive time. 

Tensions between Trump and the current White House have been growing for weeks over US foreign and domestic policies. 

Over the weekend, Obama suggested he may have won a third term were he not constitutionally barred, to which Trump tweeted, in part: ‘NO WAY!’

Tensions flared again early Wednesday, when in an unprecedented personal condemnation of his soon-to-be predecessor, Trump tweeted: ‘Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks.’

‘Thought it was going to be a smooth transition - NOT!’

Trump might take solace in the fact that he has been in the top 10 rankings of the most admired men in America before — five times, in fact, with the most recent being in 2015. He first appeared among the top 10 in 1988.

Among women, Hillary Clinton has now earned the most admired spot 21 times. She first led the poll in 1993 when she was first lady.

The current First Lady Michelle Obama was the second most admired woman in 2016, with eight per cent of Americans choosing her. 

Also among the top five women, though far behind Obama and Clinton, were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former and current talk-show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.