Who is the most devisive president in US history?

[neurosis]

I asked Ai because I was curious.

Is there a good argument against?

Historians and political scientists overwhelmingly identify Donald Trump as the most divisive president in U.S. history.�

Donald Trump's Polarization
Multiple surveys and expert analyses, including those conducted by the Brookings Institution, CBS News, and Yahoo News, rank Donald Trump as the most polarizing figure to have occupied the Oval Office. His presidency (2017–2021, and re-election in 2024) was characterized by deeply entrenched partisan divisions, fueled by policies such as immigration bans, trade tariffs, and election-related controversies. Events like the January 6 Capitol riot and his two impeachments solidified these perceptions. Political scientists note that his support and opposition both reached record levels of intensity, reflecting a starkly divided electorate.�

Other Historically Divisive Presidents
While Trump tops most rankings, several other presidents are also frequently cited:

Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865): His leadership during the Civil War made him both revered and reviled, literally splitting the nation.�

Andrew Jackson (1829–1837): His populist policies and defiance of political norms polarized early American politics.�

Richard Nixon (1969–1974): The Watergate scandal and Vietnam-era unrest made him one of the most distrusted presidents.�

Barack Obama (2009–2017): Some conservative commentators consider him highly divisive due to cultural and racial tensions that intensified during his presidency, though many historians attribute this division more to partisan reaction than to his leadership itself.�

In summary, across both scholarly and public opinion perspectives, Donald Trump is considered the most divisive president in U.S. history, with Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson standing out as the most polarizing figures of earlier eras.

[mowens]

Bill Clinton

[jstell]

I'd have to add Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), the last of the progressive/reformist Republicans.  His many regulations regarding food, drug, and industrial safety, and anti-trust actions put him on the outs with much of the financial/business class, while bolstering his popularity with the working class.  He helped Taft become his successor, then ran against him in 1912, lost the primary after creating a schism in the Republican Party, then created the Progressive Party and ran against him, handing the election to Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat.
Which leads to my next nomination for this list.  Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921), a Southern Democrat who had such a wide angle of political priorities and policies it was almost as though he was divisive to himself.  Partly forced by WWI and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, he restricted civil liberties and targeted American socialists.  A Southern racist, he expanded segregation including within the federal government, and released many black federal employees.  But then he helped create the League of Nations (which the United States ironically did not join because of a budding tradition of Republican obstructionism), and toward the end of his presidency endorsed women's suffrage.  He also vetoed the Volstead Act (designed to enforce Prohibition) but was overridden by Congress.  And then he ended up so sick that his wife was performing much of his daily duties secretly, by keeping him sequestered from all but his closest supporters and doctors.

[mowens]

You laugh, but it was Clinton who was Rush Linbaugh's target. That's when all this militant crap ramped up.

[CNCAppsJames]

You laugh, but it was Clinton who was Rush Linbaugh's target. That's when all this militant crap ramped up.

I would argue that during Reagan's last term... the Robert Bork SCOTUS nomination was really the Genesis of the ramping up. 

JM2CFWIW 

 

[neurosis]

You laugh, but it was Clinton who was Rush Linbaugh's target. That's when all this militant crap ramped up.

There is a documentary about this.. They blame it on Gingrich. 

[Smit]

There is a documentary about this.. They blame it on Gingrich. 

Definitely Gingrich.

Rush Limbaugh started the craziness that now is the Republican party.

[Bucky Cornstarch]

Definitely Gingrich.

Rush Limbaugh started the craziness that now is the Republican party.

Rush planted seeds that most of today's nutters have no idea they've cultivated. (We know, we know, you never listened to him. The fact that you parroted his talking points, down to the vocabulary and even slang, is pure coincidence.)

[Newbeeee™]

From afar....Bush with the whole Iraq BS and patriot act implementation, Bazzer with his racial, socialist "you didn't build that" and medi reforms and Trump should never be forgiven for being Daddy warpspeed.
Basically, it's all Gov UniParty

[Here's Johnny!]

From afar....Bush with the whole Iraq BS and patriot act implementation, Bazzer with his racial, socialist "you didn't build that" and medi reforms and Trump should never be forgiven for being Daddy warpspeed.
Basically, it's all Gov UniParty

You forgot to add 9/11...

[Here's Johnny!]

Bill Clinton

He was more known for dividing women's legs in the bedroom or Oval Office!!!

[Bucky Cornstarch]

From afar....Bush with the whole Iraq BS and patriot act implementation, Bazzer with his racial, socialist "you didn't build that" and medi reforms and Trump should never be forgiven for being Daddy warpspeed.
Basically, it's all Gov UniParty

Just like when Trumptards whine about people taking Trumps' words out of context because they failed to take the whole statement into consideration, the same gripe can be applied here. The "you didn't build that" phrase was referring to the infrastructure, not the business owners' hard work and sacrifice.

Of course, you can be forgiven for misinterpreting that statement because you have no real skin in the game.

[Newbeeee™]

Just like when Trumptards whine about people taking Trumps' words out of context because they failed to take the whole statement into consideration, the same gripe can be applied here. The "you didn't build that" phrase was referring to the infrastructure, not the business owners' hard work and sacrifice.

Of course, you can be forgiven for misinterpreting that statement because you have no real skin in the game.

TBF, I have as much skin in the game as you.
Which is fukall.
Nothing, you can ever do, will change any path that the Gov is rolling on.
Same as me.

[neurosis]

You laugh

It wasn't a laugh of derision.

You'd brought up Clinton twice.  It was a giggle about that.

[mowens]

I did? I'm getting old. I don't  remember.