by Kate Wheeler | Aug 20, 2026 | Donald Trump, Uncategorized, Writing
Lucid, August 20, 2026 During the Cold War, America played a double game, fostering democratic ideals and culture in Europe while backing coups to install right-wing dictators in other parts of the world. That game is over. Now, President Donald Trump and his fellow... by Kate Wheeler | Feb 2, 2026 | Donald Trump, The Authoritarian Playbook
The New York Times, February 1, 2026 Today, President Trump appears to be testing the depths of the hole into which he can throw himself — and drag America with him. He faces falling approval ratings and growing unpopularity for his domestic and foreign policies,... by Kate Wheeler | Jan 17, 2026 | Donald Trump, The Authoritarian Playbook, Writing
Project Syndicate, December 5, 2025 Every aspiring autocrat who takes power in a free society makes use of time-tested measures and methods to delegitimize and ultimately vanquish democracy. US President Donald Trump is no exception. But the Trump administration is... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Jun 17, 2025 | Donald Trump, Propaganda, The Authoritarian Playbook, Writing
The New York Times, June 15, 2025 President Trump, a former reality television star whose administration includes several former Fox News personalities, knows a good image can go far. In the space of a week, the American public has been treated to two highly unusual... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Feb 11, 2025 | Democracy, Donald Trump, The Authoritarian Playbook, Writing
The New York Times, January 30, 2025 At a campaign rally in Virginia in June, Donald Trump hinted at the new kind of relationship America might have with Russia, China and North Korea if he were to be re-elected. “If you have a smart president, they’re not enemies,”... by Ruth Ben-Ghiat | Feb 2, 2025 | Donald Trump, The Authoritarian Playbook, Writing
Lucid, February 2, 2025 It seems like the plot of a political thriller. We are living through a new kind of coup in which Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has taken over the payment and other administration systems that allow the American government to...