Authoritarianism Expert Says Trump Is Doing The Exact Thing That Never Ends Well

Renowned authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat has warned that Donald Trump is following a dangerous path that has led to the downfall of authoritarian leaders throughout history.

Despite a decrease in his approval ratings, Ben-Ghiat stated in a guest essay for The New York Times that the president is falling into the trap of believing his own propaganda.

Ben-Ghiat, author of “Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present” and a professor of history at New York University, described this phenomenon as “autocratic backfire.” This occurs when leaders isolate themselves from expert advice and objective criticism, implement unchecked policies that fail, and then escalate to even riskier behavior.

She highlighted the consequences of this behavior, leading to a disillusioned population that loses faith in the leader and elites who begin to reconsider their support. Ben-Ghiat drew parallels between Trump and past dictators like Benito Mussolini and Vladimir Putin, pointing out similar patterns of behavior.

Ben-Ghiat has previously pointed out similarities between Trump’s self-aggrandizement and a fascist slogan from Mussolini’s era: “Mussolini is always right.”