THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent

Trump-Musk Threats Darken as Their Anger at Enemies Takes Ominous Turn

15 snips
Feb 18, 2025
Steven Levitsky, co-author and scholar of authoritarianism, discusses the alarming behaviors of influential figures like Trump and Musk. He highlights how Musk's vitriol and Trump's assertions of presidential supremacy signal a disturbing trend toward authoritarianism in America. Levitsky draws parallels between these actions and historical threats to democracy, underscoring the urgent need for engagement and vigilance. The conversation emphasizes how these behaviors erode democratic values and the active role voters must play in reversing this tide.
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INSIGHT

Competitive Authoritarianism

  • Elected autocrats use state power to suppress media and manipulate future elections.
  • This includes pressuring media companies through economic or legal means, like Trump's lawsuit against ABC News.
INSIGHT

Elected Autocrats

  • Being elected doesn't preclude authoritarian behavior.
  • Many autocrats, like Chavez and Erdogan, were initially elected democratically.
ANECDOTE

DOJ Independence

  • Trump's nomination of Ed Martin, who questions DOJ independence, aims to politicize the agency.
  • This mirrors other autocrats' moves to control regulatory and prosecutorial powers, like pressuring Eric Adams to align with Trump's policies.
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