Which of taft actions most harmed his standing amoung progressives

Answers: Tariff reform and the Pinchot-Ballinger controversy.

William Howard Taft (1857 - 1930) was the 27th President of the United states and the tenth Chief Justice of the united States. He was elected president in 1908, as a successor of Theodore Roosevelt. However, he was defeated for reelection by Woodrow Wilson in 1912 after Roosevelt split the Republican vote by running as a third-party candidate.

Taft attempted to reduce trade tariffs, which was a major source of governmental income, and was not a popular decision among progressives. His second mistake was the appointment of Richard A. Ballinger.

The Pinchot-Ballinger controversy was a dispute between U.S. Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot and U. S. Secretary of Interior Richard A. Ballinger regarding differing policies on conservationism. Richard A. Ballinger had been appointed by Taft in March 1909.