Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts The Fast Track To Autocracy
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Jan 3, 2026 
Kim Lane Scheppele, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor at Princeton, dives into the alarming rise of autocracy in the U.S. She highlights how early moves by Trump echo global authoritarian strategies. Scheppele explains the dangerous interplay between lawful elections and the erosion of checks and balances. She describes tactics like performative cruelty that target marginalized groups to distract from consolidating power. The conversation underscores the importance of civic resistance and the value of functioning government in maintaining democracy.
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Elected Leaders Can Engineer Autocracy
- Autocrats often win fair elections then use law to dismantle checks on power behind the scenes.
- Kim Lane Scheppele warns the real work of autocracy is legal entrenchment, not overt coups.
Private Blueprints For Power
- Private groups draft sweeping legal plans that incoming executives can deploy immediately.
- Scheppele highlights use of obscure laws and emergency declarations to expand executive authority.
Neutralizing The Bureaucracy
- Capturing the civil service neutralizes institutional resistance by firing or reassigning career officials.
- Scheppele notes reassignments and paid leave are modern tools to purge bureaucracies.
