Final answer:
Taft is considered less progressive than Roosevelt and Wilson due to his cautious approach and less charismatic leadership style, despite continuing many reforms and expanding federal oversight.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that President William Howard Taft continued many of Teddy Roosevelt's reforms, but he is often considered to be not as progressive as Presidents Roosevelt and Wilson. While Taft did push antitrust rulings and expanded federal oversight, his approach lacked Roosevelt's aggression and charisma. Taft cautiously pursued the progressive agenda, without Roosevelt's distinction between "good" trusts and "bad" trusts, and hesitated to use the presidential bully pulpit. His actions in the domain of tariffs and conservation also drew ire from Progressives. In contrast, Woodrow Wilson aggressively tackled what he termed the "triple wall of privilege": tariffs, trusts, and high finance, embodying a more assertive progressive leadership.
Roosevelt's and Taft's administrations differed especially in their approach to conservation and trust-busting, with Roosevelt being viewed as a more dynamic and proactive progressive leader. Despite Taft's actual record of placing more land under federal protection and signing numerous Progressive reforms, his presidency was overshadowed by the impression of scandal and a more reserved leadership style, as well as his inability to unite the Republican party.