Anne Applebaum

So this is both the thing that unifies modern dictators, and it's also the thing that often unifies their opponents. And so the fact that the Trump administration is moving so quickly in a kleptocratic direction and beginning to eliminate one by one all kinds of norms, defying all kinds of laws, changing existing laws, to enable theft, essentially, and to enable corruption, should really alarm us.

So this is both the thing that unifies modern dictators, and it's also the thing that often unifies their opponents. And so the fact that the Trump administration is moving so quickly in a kleptocratic direction and beginning to eliminate one by one all kinds of norms, defying all kinds of laws, changing existing laws, to enable theft, essentially, and to enable corruption, should really alarm us.

Because this is very often what precedes a broader crackdown on civil society. Wherever you see a regime that is rapidly accumulating money and is rapidly enriching itself, you will see some kind of resistance movement and some kind of crackdown afterwards. And I suppose that's why I'm so concerned about it.

Because this is very often what precedes a broader crackdown on civil society. Wherever you see a regime that is rapidly accumulating money and is rapidly enriching itself, you will see some kind of resistance movement and some kind of crackdown afterwards. And I suppose that's why I'm so concerned about it.

Because this is very often what precedes a broader crackdown on civil society. Wherever you see a regime that is rapidly accumulating money and is rapidly enriching itself, you will see some kind of resistance movement and some kind of crackdown afterwards. And I suppose that's why I'm so concerned about it.

It is really an extraordinary transformation. I can only attribute it, one, to greater preparation. This time, his family and some of his business contacts were prepared for him to win and had a set of plans ready to go should he become president. Also, it's true that, as you say, in the first term, there were these small violations. There was another incident when

It is really an extraordinary transformation. I can only attribute it, one, to greater preparation. This time, his family and some of his business contacts were prepared for him to win and had a set of plans ready to go should he become president. Also, it's true that, as you say, in the first term, there were these small violations. There was another incident when

It is really an extraordinary transformation. I can only attribute it, one, to greater preparation. This time, his family and some of his business contacts were prepared for him to win and had a set of plans ready to go should he become president. Also, it's true that, as you say, in the first term, there were these small violations. There was another incident when

Mike Pence went many miles out of his way to stay at a Trump hotel in Ireland. I mean, there are all kinds of things like that that happened. And there was really no resistance. Nobody ever said you're breaking the law. Nobody stopped him. It wasn't even really a major topic of concern among the many things that people were concerned about. But you're right.

Mike Pence went many miles out of his way to stay at a Trump hotel in Ireland. I mean, there are all kinds of things like that that happened. And there was really no resistance. Nobody ever said you're breaking the law. Nobody stopped him. It wasn't even really a major topic of concern among the many things that people were concerned about. But you're right.

Mike Pence went many miles out of his way to stay at a Trump hotel in Ireland. I mean, there are all kinds of things like that that happened. And there was really no resistance. Nobody ever said you're breaking the law. Nobody stopped him. It wasn't even really a major topic of concern among the many things that people were concerned about. But you're right.

This time of year, it's very, very different. I mean, there are about four different kinds of things happening. And this is one of the reasons it's so hard to keep track of. One is violations of the emoluments clause of the Constitution. This is essentially the clause that says the U.S. president isn't supposed to benefit in any way from relationships with foreigners.

This time of year, it's very, very different. I mean, there are about four different kinds of things happening. And this is one of the reasons it's so hard to keep track of. One is violations of the emoluments clause of the Constitution. This is essentially the clause that says the U.S. president isn't supposed to benefit in any way from relationships with foreigners.

This time of year, it's very, very different. I mean, there are about four different kinds of things happening. And this is one of the reasons it's so hard to keep track of. One is violations of the emoluments clause of the Constitution. This is essentially the clause that says the U.S. president isn't supposed to benefit in any way from relationships with foreigners.

Clearly, Trump benefits directly from relationships with foreigners. He was just at his golf course a few weekends ago where a tournament was taking place that's sponsored by state-owned Saudi companies. The head of the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, which is one of the sponsors, was actually there.

Clearly, Trump benefits directly from relationships with foreigners. He was just at his golf course a few weekends ago where a tournament was taking place that's sponsored by state-owned Saudi companies. The head of the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, which is one of the sponsors, was actually there.

Clearly, Trump benefits directly from relationships with foreigners. He was just at his golf course a few weekends ago where a tournament was taking place that's sponsored by state-owned Saudi companies. The head of the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, which is one of the sponsors, was actually there.

So he would have met many Saudi people who are his investors, essentially, and clients who, of course, are also interested in his Middle Eastern policy and American foreign policy. So you could argue that they were there. Maybe it's touchy to say they were trying to buy American foreign policy, but they were certainly trying to influence it. Why else would they be? Why else would be there?

So he would have met many Saudi people who are his investors, essentially, and clients who, of course, are also interested in his Middle Eastern policy and American foreign policy. So you could argue that they were there. Maybe it's touchy to say they were trying to buy American foreign policy, but they were certainly trying to influence it. Why else would they be? Why else would be there?

So he would have met many Saudi people who are his investors, essentially, and clients who, of course, are also interested in his Middle Eastern policy and American foreign policy. So you could argue that they were there. Maybe it's touchy to say they were trying to buy American foreign policy, but they were certainly trying to influence it. Why else would they be? Why else would be there?