Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts The Three Faces Of Trumpism
33 snips
Nov 29, 2025 
Jedediah Britton-Purdy, a law professor and author focusing on democracy, and David Pozen, a scholar of constitutional law, delve into the complexities of Trumpism. They discuss the authoritarian crisis and how Trump's actions reflect deeper democratic dysfunction in America. The conversation highlights competing narratives—whether Trumpism represents revolutionary change or just a continuation of established problems. They also explore policy responses and the challenges of overcoming political fragmentation in today's media landscape.
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Authoritarian Playbook Identified
- Trumpism can be read as an authoritarian playbook modeled on leaders like Orban and Bolsonaro.
- It centralizes executive power, weaponizes institutions, and frames politics as friend versus enemy.
Trump As Symptom, Not Sole Cause
- Many problems attributed to Trump reflect longer-standing American democratic failures.
- Trump intensifies existing trends like executive consolidation, harsh immigration enforcement, and racialized disadvantage.
Regime Change As Constitutional Politics
- Some defenders call current changes constitutional regime shifts, akin to New Deal or Civil Rights transformations.
- They argue major constitutional change can occur through politics, not formal amendments.
