Can the World Still Trust America? | Martin Wolf on the US Midterms | Financial Times

Oct 24, 2026 | As Americans prepare to vote in the November 3 midterm elections, FT chief economics commentator Martin Wolf asks what the result will mean for Donald Trump, the future of US democracy and America's place in the world.

Trump Admin 'Destroying' US Democracy with 'Autocratic, Terrorist Version of Christian Nationalism'

Oct 21, 2026 | François Picard welcomes former US Assistant Secretary of Defense Jim Townsend and former US Air Force officer Michael (Mikey) Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Is American military power becoming an instrument of political and religious coercion, both at home and abroad? From the reported restrictions on Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite communications to the Trump administration's overtures towards Vladimir Putin and the growing controversy over religious ideology within the Pentagon, the two guests offer a stark assessment of the direction of American foreign and defence policy.

The behaviour Trump and his regime appals anyone with any sense of decency. The whole regime is full of hacks. Trump is corrupt, and anyone who works closely with him must also be suspect. Birds of a feather flock together. Never were truer words ever spoken!

Trump cares neither about peace nor the suffering of Ukrainians. Let us cut to the chase: Trump cares only about his bank balance. And with that, the ledger closes. He’s out to make as much money as possible, in the shortest time possible. So that is driving him to want to make hugely lucrative business deals with Putin. For Trump, the quicker this war is ended, the quicker he’ll be able to make those profitable deals with the crooked and cruel villain in the Kremlin. Furthermore, Trump knows that because of his advanced age, his decaying body and deteriorating health, and the relatively short time he has left in power—unless he pulls a fast one, which is likely—that he needs to hurry up and get on with things if he is to maximize his profits.

If anyone were to ask me who the most dishonourable men on the world political stage I can think of are, it would have to be Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. They are as dishonourable as it gets these days. Of course, historically one can find others, among whom are Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Benito Mussolini. All dishonourable and all and all despicable. Incidentally, Joseph Stalin is considered by many historians to be one of the most ruthless and deceitful dictators in human history. He built and maintained his power on the deliberate rejection of conventional morality, ethics, and loyalty. That reminds me of Trump. So indeed, Trump is up there with the most notorious of political leaders this world has ever known! — © Mark Alexander

Thom Hartmann: Is This the End of American Democracy?

Feb 18, 2025 | American Democracy could become a thing of the past in the next month, if Donald Trump isn't stopped.

Why Americans tolerate this CRAP is beyond my comprehension. – © Mark Alexander

America’s Right-wing Radicals - US Veterans against Democracy | DW Documentary

Jul 13, 2024 | On 6 January 2021, hundreds of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington. Five people were killed and many injured. Some 15 per cent of those involved were former members of the US military or police.

By storming the Capitol, hundreds of supporters of former US President Donald Trump aimed to prevent the Senate and House of Representatives from officially confirming Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential elections. Some 15 per cent of those involved were former members of the US military or police. This shocking statistic prompts an important question: Why are the very people who have sworn an oath to protect the nation’s democracy attacking it?

The US-American filmmaker Charlie Sadoff and his co-writer and producer Kenneth Harbaugh both used to be in the military, something that allowed them to delve deep into the veterans’ world. Through them, they gained access to violent rightwing extremist circles in America, including anti-government militias such as the Proud Boys, the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers.

These groups - organized and led by well-educated, highly motivated military veterans - represent the greatest threat to democracy in the United States today. The documentary examines the complexity of this development, tracing it back to its historical roots. The smoke over the Capitol may have cleared, but the problem remains: US society remains deeply divided. The groups are still active and the next elections are imminent.

This documentary cannot be embedded on external websites as it is age-restricted. It can only be viewed on YouTube itself. So, in order to watch it, please click here. – Mark

Chris Hedges: How Republicans, Democrats, and the Media Have Weakened US Democracy

Jan 19, 2021 • Renowned journalist and author Chris Hedges talks about the many ways traditional media, digital media, and the two political parties have worked to prevent progressive movements and give rise to the growth of the extreme right

Jimmy Carter: I Fear for Our Democracy

OPINION : GUEST ESSAY
THE NEW YORK TIMES: One year ago, a violent mob, guided by unscrupulous politicians, stormed the Capitol and almost succeeded in preventing the democratic transfer of power. All four of us former presidents condemned their actions and affirmed the legitimacy of the 2020 election. There followed a brief hope that the insurrection would shock the nation into addressing the toxic polarization that threatens our democracy.

However, one year on, promoters of the lie that the election was stolen have taken over one political party and stoked distrust in our electoral systems. These forces exert power and influence through relentless disinformation, which continues to turn Americans against Americans. According to the Survey Center on American Life, 36 percent of Americans — almost 100 million adults across the political spectrum — agree that “the traditional American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it.” The Washington Post recently reported that roughly 40 percent of Republicans believe that violent action against the government is sometimes justified.

Politicians in my home state of Georgia, as well as in others, such as Texas and Florida, have leveraged the distrust they have created to enact laws that empower partisan legislatures to intervene in election processes. They seek to win by any means, and many Americans are being persuaded to think and act likewise, threatening to collapse the foundations of our security and democracy with breathtaking speed. I now fear that what we have fought so hard to achieve globally — the right to free, fair elections, unhindered by strongman politicians who seek nothing more than to grow their own power — has become dangerously fragile at home. » | Jimmy Carter * | Wednesday, January 5, 2022

* Mr. Carter was the 39th president of the United States.