LISTEN: Ruth Ben-Ghiat Explains What Comes Next in Donald Trump’s Authoritarian Assault on Democracy

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian at New York University who specializes in authoritarianism, aesthetics, cultural politics, and Italian history. She is the author of numerous books including an upcoming project on authoritarianism and political strongmen.

In this episode of the highly illuminatng podcast, The Chauncey DeVega Show, Professor Ben-Ghiat explains how Donald Trump is continuing to wear down America’s democratic institutions – and the public – to a point where authoritarian rule will be accepted as the new normal. Ben-Ghiat also warns how Trump leads a personality cult, which in keeping with how authoritarian regimes have historically taken power, is consuming the American government.

And Professor Ben-Ghiat predicts that Donald Trump is still waiting for the moment when he can declare a national emergency and fully take power by suspending the Constitution and the rule of law.