Anne Applebaum

And what he seems to have done is taken a group of some apparently even very young engineers into government offices and started demanding and downloading data. Let's put it this way. If, you know, the Chinese government were to be doing this by hacking, this would be considered a major cyber warfare attack.

There is no precedent for giving that kind of information or that kind of access to a private citizen, even if the president says it's okay. And so we're already in a realm where we're in an extra legal situation. You can talk about Russian oligarchs and their ability to shape policy. In Russia, you had this phenomenon of

There is no precedent for giving that kind of information or that kind of access to a private citizen, even if the president says it's okay. And so we're already in a realm where we're in an extra legal situation. You can talk about Russian oligarchs and their ability to shape policy. In Russia, you had this phenomenon of

There is no precedent for giving that kind of information or that kind of access to a private citizen, even if the president says it's okay. And so we're already in a realm where we're in an extra legal situation. You can talk about Russian oligarchs and their ability to shape policy. In Russia, you had this phenomenon of

wealthy people who were both members of the government and the owners of significant companies. So they were making the government decisions that affected their companies. And that's clearly the case with Musk as well. So he is a very important government contractor. His companies get subsidies. He also does work on behalf of the Pentagon. So clearly he's now able to make policy concerning his own

wealthy people who were both members of the government and the owners of significant companies. So they were making the government decisions that affected their companies. And that's clearly the case with Musk as well. So he is a very important government contractor. His companies get subsidies. He also does work on behalf of the Pentagon. So clearly he's now able to make policy concerning his own

wealthy people who were both members of the government and the owners of significant companies. So they were making the government decisions that affected their companies. And that's clearly the case with Musk as well. So he is a very important government contractor. His companies get subsidies. He also does work on behalf of the Pentagon. So clearly he's now able to make policy concerning his own

his own companies. He can look at the contracts given to his competitors. He can find out information about that. So there is a kind of Russian precedent for that kind of influence. But the broader idea that there's a single person with no status who's been given access to the whole U.S.

his own companies. He can look at the contracts given to his competitors. He can find out information about that. So there is a kind of Russian precedent for that kind of influence. But the broader idea that there's a single person with no status who's been given access to the whole U.S.

his own companies. He can look at the contracts given to his competitors. He can find out information about that. So there is a kind of Russian precedent for that kind of influence. But the broader idea that there's a single person with no status who's been given access to the whole U.S.

government payment system and the personnel management system and maybe the property ownership system as well, I can't think of anything. So we're in a world of extra legality. So we are beyond the law. He is operating in a completely lawless realm. He is not under control or under control is the wrong word. He's outside of the rule of law.

government payment system and the personnel management system and maybe the property ownership system as well, I can't think of anything. So we're in a world of extra legality. So we are beyond the law. He is operating in a completely lawless realm. He is not under control or under control is the wrong word. He's outside of the rule of law.

government payment system and the personnel management system and maybe the property ownership system as well, I can't think of anything. So we're in a world of extra legality. So we are beyond the law. He is operating in a completely lawless realm. He is not under control or under control is the wrong word. He's outside of the rule of law.

And then to look at precedence for that, I mean, you know, I don't want to go there because it always, you know, it's always the end of the conversation. But then you have to look at Nazi Germany or you have to look at. dictatorships where single people took the law into their hands.

And then to look at precedence for that, I mean, you know, I don't want to go there because it always, you know, it's always the end of the conversation. But then you have to look at Nazi Germany or you have to look at. dictatorships where single people took the law into their hands.

And then to look at precedence for that, I mean, you know, I don't want to go there because it always, you know, it's always the end of the conversation. But then you have to look at Nazi Germany or you have to look at. dictatorships where single people took the law into their hands.

And of course, it doesn't feel like that to most people, because it's just something happening inside some Washington buildings, you know, and it's not yet affecting ordinary Americans, but it could. And we can, I'm happy to spin it out a little bit about what else, what other damage could be.

And of course, it doesn't feel like that to most people, because it's just something happening inside some Washington buildings, you know, and it's not yet affecting ordinary Americans, but it could. And we can, I'm happy to spin it out a little bit about what else, what other damage could be.

And of course, it doesn't feel like that to most people, because it's just something happening inside some Washington buildings, you know, and it's not yet affecting ordinary Americans, but it could. And we can, I'm happy to spin it out a little bit about what else, what other damage could be.

That's, as I say, I'm unable to think of a precedent in U.S. history. Maybe there's some historian who knows the American history in the 19th century better who can come up with something. But they are now creating sort of on top of and outside of the legal system, a kind of alternate legality. And the very idea... that a U.S.