Trump is attempting to transition the American political system into a permanent authoritarian regime.

“So, what I recognize is that we have a president who is trying to engineer a regime change towards a permanent authoritarian That is what's going on.”

The current political trajectory in the United States is moving toward authoritarianism as institutions are compromised and loyalists are installed to serve the leader.

“So, we're definitely traveling toward authoritarianism.”

The Trump administration follows a political playbook involving emergency declarations that is designed to dismantle constitutional checks on power.

“the ways in which the Trump administration has worked through emergency declarations the same way that that philosopher said would be a good way to get rid of a constitution, put someone in power, and then a lot of the people around Trump believe in that system or at least have emphasized it”

Donald Trump's recent actions and rhetoric demonstrate that he has become authoritarian more quickly than expected.

“I got to tell you, I did not think he would get this authoritarian this fast. I really didn't.”

He claims that the use of the military against American citizens is a hallmark of authoritarianism.

“The reason I bring it up is because at the time it was so shocking that it was the first time the the military were being used against Americans. And of course the military as you know as a as a as a veteran yourself as a as a you know marine. The military are designed to protect American citizens. ”

Autocrats prioritize self-preservation and frequently reshuffle their governments to maintain power and ensure loyalty from incompetent, dependent subordinates.

“Because they're threatened of people who are too competent, and they don't want people who have independent sources of power, independent networks. And so, they did this from the very start where Tulsi Gabbard was put in there in a director of national intelligence with very few contacts in the inte”

Authoritarian cult leaders, often displaying narcissistic or psychopathic traits, lack accountability and use their power to exploit followers for personal benefit.

“that leader that Keith rer that Jim Jones who has no accountability will ultimately use that power in a destructive way”

Modern authoritarian regimes like Russia's are driven by a small elite at the top seeking to monopolize wealth and power, rather than by a coherent popular ideology.

“I don't think it's a society where the masses are part of this kind of ideological project. They're being ruled from the top. And you have this classic imperial situation, when the emperor, which controls the largest country in the world, feels that, "Hey, this is not enough. I need more."”

Rory Stewart characterizes the elections held by authoritarian rulers as a deceptive performance that does not involve the risk of losing power.

“it's not obviously about you risking losing power it's about you doing a sort of strange pantomime bit of mobilization”

Alastair Campbell argues that dictators hold elections to maintain a shred of legitimacy and to mobilize support, rather than to genuinely risk losing power.

“you do it partly because there is a a shred of legitimacy it's quite difficult to just refuse to have any elections at all so like shred legitimacy gives you an opportunity to go out in public the campaigning allows you to mobilize a bit of public support”