Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the conversation about Trump's expanding executive power, his attacks on the press, and the broader authoritarian patterns she has studied in historical strongman regimes.
The latest confrontation with the media has intensified the debate. Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House after attacking their coverage, prompting the outlets to sue and legal experts to raise First Amendment concerns over viewpoint discrimination.
Ben-Ghiat has described the White House's treatment of the press as part of an “autocratic playbook,” while recent analysis has also highlighted the administration's efforts to expand presidential power.
What does this tell us about where American democracy is heading — and what happens when traditional checks on presidential power begin to weaken?
