Anne Applebaum

I had a very dark view of what was going to happen. And it was so dark that I didn't want to share it that much in public. I mean, some of the details have surprised me. Like, I know I did not expect Elon Musk to take a group of 19-year-old engineers and download the U.S. government's data.

I had a very dark view of what was going to happen. And it was so dark that I didn't want to share it that much in public. I mean, some of the details have surprised me. Like, I know I did not expect Elon Musk to take a group of 19-year-old engineers and download the U.S. government's data.

I had a very dark view of what was going to happen. And it was so dark that I didn't want to share it that much in public. I mean, some of the details have surprised me. Like, I know I did not expect Elon Musk to take a group of 19-year-old engineers and download the U.S. government's data.

Like, I didn't see that exact form of... I did expect this kind of assault on the system, and I did expect the Republican Party not to resist it. So in that sense, I'm not surprised. I was prepared for this kind of thing to happen. I'm even surprised that other people are surprised.

Like, I didn't see that exact form of... I did expect this kind of assault on the system, and I did expect the Republican Party not to resist it. So in that sense, I'm not surprised. I was prepared for this kind of thing to happen. I'm even surprised that other people are surprised.

Like, I didn't see that exact form of... I did expect this kind of assault on the system, and I did expect the Republican Party not to resist it. So in that sense, I'm not surprised. I was prepared for this kind of thing to happen. I'm even surprised that other people are surprised.

No, we're certainly I mean, certainly we're we're now in the realm of extra legality. It's clear that we have an illiberal leadership, which who are seeking to undermine the very basis of American democracy. They're trying to change the rules and the way that institutions work. They're using Musk as a kind of... But it's not just Musk.

No, we're certainly I mean, certainly we're we're now in the realm of extra legality. It's clear that we have an illiberal leadership, which who are seeking to undermine the very basis of American democracy. They're trying to change the rules and the way that institutions work. They're using Musk as a kind of... But it's not just Musk.

No, we're certainly I mean, certainly we're we're now in the realm of extra legality. It's clear that we have an illiberal leadership, which who are seeking to undermine the very basis of American democracy. They're trying to change the rules and the way that institutions work. They're using Musk as a kind of... But it's not just Musk.

It's also these guys from Heritage who are also talking about threatening and harassing civil servants and federal public servants. So it's not just him. He's just the sort of unexpected piece of the story. I do think they are going to continue trying to capture the civil service. They will try to capture the courts, put people in the courts who are not just...

It's also these guys from Heritage who are also talking about threatening and harassing civil servants and federal public servants. So it's not just him. He's just the sort of unexpected piece of the story. I do think they are going to continue trying to capture the civil service. They will try to capture the courts, put people in the courts who are not just...

It's also these guys from Heritage who are also talking about threatening and harassing civil servants and federal public servants. So it's not just him. He's just the sort of unexpected piece of the story. I do think they are going to continue trying to capture the civil service. They will try to capture the courts, put people in the courts who are not just...

not conservative in the old sense, not like, I don't know, constitutionalists, but actually much more radical. That's what I would expect, that we get really radical judges who are there to do Trump's bidding, not to respect the Constitution in a conservative way. I think that's very possible. And I also think the, you said it already, the attempts to

not conservative in the old sense, not like, I don't know, constitutionalists, but actually much more radical. That's what I would expect, that we get really radical judges who are there to do Trump's bidding, not to respect the Constitution in a conservative way. I think that's very possible. And I also think the, you said it already, the attempts to

not conservative in the old sense, not like, I don't know, constitutionalists, but actually much more radical. That's what I would expect, that we get really radical judges who are there to do Trump's bidding, not to respect the Constitution in a conservative way. I think that's very possible. And I also think the, you said it already, the attempts to

control and dictate and use different kinds of levers of influence over the media and over public conversation, that that's going to get much worse as well. So in that sense, we're already, it's not just Orban, by the way. I mean, this is what Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela. I think it's important for people to understand this is neither a right-wing nor a left-wing assault.

control and dictate and use different kinds of levers of influence over the media and over public conversation, that that's going to get much worse as well. So in that sense, we're already, it's not just Orban, by the way. I mean, this is what Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela. I think it's important for people to understand this is neither a right-wing nor a left-wing assault.

control and dictate and use different kinds of levers of influence over the media and over public conversation, that that's going to get much worse as well. So in that sense, we're already, it's not just Orban, by the way. I mean, this is what Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela. I think it's important for people to understand this is neither a right-wing nor a left-wing assault.

It's an illiberal assault on the state. It's an anti and ultimately anti-democratic and anti-constitutional. And I expect it to continue until somebody finds a way to stop it.

It's an illiberal assault on the state. It's an anti and ultimately anti-democratic and anti-constitutional. And I expect it to continue until somebody finds a way to stop it.