Autocracy in America

A New Season is Coming

The midterms will mark the beginning of the end of Donald Trump’s second presidency. This season, the podcast asks, “What happens next?” Host Anne Applebaum sits down wit

American Democracy Under Occupation

When heavily armed agents of the federal government arrived in Minneapolis, the people of the Twin Cities responded with surprising strength.  In this episode, residents

Elections Distorted

The Trump White House is changing the rules of our political system through intimidation, the distortion of information, financial corruption, and the dismantling of gove

Rise of the Trump Loyalist

Kathleen Walters was only 23 days away from qualifying for early retirement at the IRS when she decided to quit, rather than acquiesce to a Trump-administration request t

Reality Reshaped

Joan Brugge has worked for nearly 50 years as a cancer scientist, studying the earliest signs that someone might become sick. Then the Trump administration canceled her l

Crypto Corruption

Brandon LaRoque kept his life savings in a cryptocurrency account. One morning, as he went to check his balance, he discovered that it was all missing. LaRoque is one of

ICE and the National Guard Are Acting with Impunity

The transformation of ICE into a type of national police force, backed, in some cases, by soldiers from the National Guard, has been covered as immigration story—but thes

Coming Soon: Season 3 of Autocracy in America

The Trump administration is making radical, unprecedented changes to American institutions. By doing so, it is seeking to transform the American political system as well.

The Admiral

Despite growing up in the Soviet Union, host Garry Kasparov admired American values—believing America was one of the good guys. But is that still the case?  In the final

The Warning

Michael McFaul witnessed Vladimir Putin’s crackdown on dissent as U.S. ambassador to Russia. He has a warning for Americans. McFaul and host Garry Kasparov discuss how r

The Columnist

When host Garry Kasparov created the Renew Democracy Initiative in 2017, the founding manifesto warned that “the liberal-democratic order is under attack from within and

The Negotiator

In the fight to save democracies from the grips of autocrats, defenders of democratic values must partner with people who would otherwise be their political opponents. I

The Computer Scientist

With all the hype and hysteria around AI, it’s important to remember that AI is still just a tool. As powerful as it is, it is not a promise of dystopia or utopia.  Host

The Advocate

When democracy and civil society are all you’ve known, they are easy to take for granted. However, for some autocracy is not just a word but a way of life.  Host Garry K

The Politician

What does the future of Europe look like with the rise of newly aggressive authoritarian states?  Host Garry Kasparov is joined by Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, a member of

The CEO

With the United States stepping back from its global leadership role, many around Europe and the world are waiting for Germany to step forward. Will it? Host Garry Kaspa

The Realist

Soviet dissidents have long admired the United States and its Founding Fathers for their attachment to a moral core, the basis for individual human liberty. So what happe

The Ambassador

How should American power be deployed in the world? Since the Cold War, America’s role as a global leader has been up for debate.  Host Garry Kasparov and former U.S. Am

The Dissident

What is a dissident? In an autocracy, standing against the rulers could mean harassment, prison, torture, even death. Dissidents stand up anyway.  Host Garry Kasparov is

The Pollster

Have Americans grown complacent, thinking nothing can shake the United States’ democracy? Host Garry Kasparov is joined by Frank Luntz, someone well versed in taking the