Polarization in the U.S.: Trump’s First-Term Policies and Democratic Responses: Lessons for a Trump 2.0 Era

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to examine President Trump’s first-term policies and Democratic responses to them, to assess whether polarization in the U.S. was driven more by one party or whether both parties contributed to the escalation. To do so, the author is going to apply Jennifer McCoy and Murat Somer’s theory of pernicious polarization which argues that democracy can be most threatened when political leaders intensify divisions instead of constructively resolving underlying grievances. The theory focuses on what actions opposing political actors take, in this case, Democrats. Do they also employ divisive tactics or not? This analysis serves as a basis for evaluating how Republicans and Democrats might behave during the second-term presidency of Donald Trump, whether they will learn from the past lessons and seek to de-escalate tensions or continue partisan fights.