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A striking comparison is being drawn between former President Donald Trump’s actions and the playbooks of elected strongmen in countries like Venezuela, Turkey, and Hungary. The article highlights that while the U.S. has historically robust institutions to prevent authoritarianism, Trump is distinguished by the speed and overt nature of his efforts to consolidate power. Experts note that his rapid moves to use federal law enforcement for retribution against political enemies, threaten media outlets, and purge the government of disloyal officials are tactics familiar from other nations. However, the pace at which he is implementing these strategies is unprecedented, moving more „brazenly” than leaders like Turkey’s Recep Erdogan or Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, who had to navigate more initial resistance.
The article details specific actions that mirror authoritarian consolidation, such as Trump publicly pressuring his Attorney General to prosecute foes, the subsequent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, and threats against television networks like ABC. These steps are framed by the White House as ensuring „accountability,” but critics see them as a direct campaign to weaponize the government. The piece underscores that Trump is openly repaying what he calls „political persecution” from Democrats, steering the Justice Department to target his adversaries and deploying troops to Democratic-led cities, signaling a use of federal power for political retribution.
Despite these actions, a key difference remains: the United States’ institutional foundations. The courts, a diffuse state-level power structure, and a vigorous political opposition have so far acted as checks, as seen when they blocked Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election. However, experts like Harvard’s Steven Levitsky warn that the U.S. is uniquely unprepared for an attack on democracy from within, lacking the cultural antennae that nations with recent authoritarian pasts possess. The conclusion is that while the U.S. system has proven resilient, Trump’s second-term agenda represents a „more pointed attack” on democratic norms, testing the limits of American institutions in ways they have never been tested before.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: https://apnews.com/article/trump-democracy-turkey-hungary-venezuela-d7b0fac7c5e135bf75b3c125e8335a5d.