Why So Many of Trump’s Authoritarian Moves Have Failed

Historian Thomas Zimmer says that American democracy is still in a bad place but that Trump has been slowed on a number of fronts.

You can watch this episode of Right Now With Perry Bacon above or by following this show on YouTube or Substack.

President Trump is taking all the steps that autocrats and dictators typically do: getting charges filed against his political enemies, invading other nations, sending the military into areas that resist him. But he’s been blunted in a number of ways. Charges against former FBI Director James Comey were dropped. Courts have ruled against some of Trump’s deployments of the National Guard. Thomas Zimmer, a historian and author of the “Democracy Americana” newsletter, says that Trump has not consolidated authoritarianism as much as Zimmer expected early last year. U.S. institutions, particularly courts, have blocked many of Trump’s actions. He hasn’t been willing to take super-aggressive steps like outright ignoring court rulings. And crucially, says Zimmer, public opinion has turned against the president. Zimmer says that a veneer of popular support is critical to authoritarians. So resistance to Trump has increased as other politicians, institutions, and voters realize that he is unpopular.

Right Now With Perry Bacon is a twice-weekly show about national politics with a focus on the radicalism of the Trump administration and tactics to combat it. The program, hosted by New Republic staff writer Perry Bacon on Substack, features in-depth discussions with experts and politicians. It goes beyond the daily headlines to explain why things are happening and put them in a broader context.

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