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Behind the Polarization | Divided States of America Part 2 (full documentary) | FRONTLINE (PBS)
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June 9, 2026
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1:53:18Now PlayingThe second episode of a two-part 2017 docuseries examines events during the Obama presidency that revealed the nation’s deep divisions and the state of the polarized country that President Trump would go on to lead. (Aired 2017)
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Days before Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, FRONTLINE premiered “Divided States of America,” a four-hour, two-part documentary miniseries examining events during the Obama presidency that revealed deep divisions in the U.S. and helped pave the way for Trump’s ascent.
With conflict and discord continuing to define the American political reality to this day, episode two of “Divided States of America” is now available to watch on YouTube for the first time. Its release is part of an effort to make FRONTLINE’s documentary archive widely available for streaming.
Watch episode one of the documentary here
“Divided States of America” was directed by Michael Kirk. It was written by Michael Kirk and Mike Wiser. It was produced by Michael Kirk, Mike Wiser and Philip Bennett. It was produced and reported by Jim Gilmore and Gabrielle Schonder. The executive producer at large of FRONTLINE was David Fanning.
Explore additional reporting on “Divided States of America” on our website:
#Documentary #BarackObama #DonaldTrump #Politics
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