Why Trump's Ballroom Bunker Proves He's Terrified | The Daily Beast Podcast

July 23, 2026 | Ruth Ben-Ghiat, historian and authoritarian expert speaks with Joanna Coles about whether America is already experiencing the early stages of autocracy, why Donald Trump's behavior follows patterns seen in strongmen throughout history, and what happens when leaders surround themselves with loyalists instead of truth-tellers. Drawing on decades of research, Ben-Ghiat explains why weakening leaders can become more dangerous, how propaganda, humiliation, corruption, and loyalty tests reinforce authoritarian power, and why wars and economic turmoil often accelerate a strongman's decline.

Ruth Ben-Ghiat in Discussion with Anne Applebaum about Russia

August 1, 2026


THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Trump Backs Away From Deal to Let Ukraine Build Patriot Missiles: The president of Ukraine had warned that the country was running out of Patriot interceptors, the most reliable weapon it has to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. »

Trump’s Dictator Playbook, with Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Jun 10, 2026 | Buckle up, history buffs and democracy defenders. We're sitting down with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history and Italian studies at New York University, author of Strongman, and one of the leading experts on authoritarianism, to connect the dots between today's political chaos and the playbooks of history's most dangerous leaders. The parallels are less "ancient history" and more "this week's headlines," and Ruth is here to decode every one of them.

Heidi and Joel also unpack the shifting electoral map, with a look at Senate battlegrounds, emerging gubernatorial contests, and what the current political climate means for voters heading into the next cycle.

SCARY: Trump Knows What He's Doing | Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Oct 1, 2025 | Donald Trump is not as dumb as he looks. Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins the discussion today with a warning about Trump's next authoritarian moves.