This paper examines the dual forces of populism and polarization as significant threats to the American liberal democratic order. It argues that the rising tide of populism in the United States, exemplified by the rhetoric and policies of figures like Donald Trump, is not merely a challenge due to its populist nature but because of its exclusionary tendencies that deepen societal divisions. Firstly, the Jacksonian populism of Donald Trump is analysed as a frame of a conflict between a marginalized white, and supposedly ‘pure’ working class and a corrupt elite, reinforcing a divisive ‘us versus them’ narrative. Secondly, the paper situates the rising populist tendencies into the wider context of deep ideological and affective polarization shaping the American electorate. Finally, the anti- populist response is examined from a critical perspective, arguing that despite being less regressive, anti-populism mirrors populism‘s divisive strategies by casting opponents as irrational, and perpetuates the cycle of polarization that undermines the liberal democratic script.