Ayesha Roscoe

Meanwhile, our friends at NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me take making fun of the news very seriously. Each week they create a news quiz and we want to give Up First listeners the chance to play along.

Meanwhile, our friends at NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me take making fun of the news very seriously. Each week they create a news quiz and we want to give Up First listeners the chance to play along.

See how closely you followed the week's news and have some fun by listening to the podcast, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz every Saturday. It's available in the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

See how closely you followed the week's news and have some fun by listening to the podcast, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz every Saturday. It's available in the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

See how closely you followed the week's news and have some fun by listening to the podcast, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz every Saturday. It's available in the NPR app and wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is The Sunday Story, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. We are more than three months into Donald Trump's second term as president, and there's a question that's coming up a lot. What is the state of American democracy? Last year, at a Fox News town hall campaign event, Trump insisted he would be a dictator, but only for one day.

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is The Sunday Story, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. We are more than three months into Donald Trump's second term as president, and there's a question that's coming up a lot. What is the state of American democracy? Last year, at a Fox News town hall campaign event, Trump insisted he would be a dictator, but only for one day.

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is The Sunday Story, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. We are more than three months into Donald Trump's second term as president, and there's a question that's coming up a lot. What is the state of American democracy? Last year, at a Fox News town hall campaign event, Trump insisted he would be a dictator, but only for one day.

Now, many scholars say the U.S. is moving swiftly away from liberal democracy and towards some form of authoritarianism.

Now, many scholars say the U.S. is moving swiftly away from liberal democracy and towards some form of authoritarianism.

Now, many scholars say the U.S. is moving swiftly away from liberal democracy and towards some form of authoritarianism.

That was Stephen Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard, Shabnam Gamushu, a political scientist at Middlebury College, and Kim Lane Shepley, a Princeton sociologist. Of course, there are scholars who disagree with them. But in recent surveys, hundreds of political scientists from all over the country were asked to rate the health of American democracy.

That was Stephen Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard, Shabnam Gamushu, a political scientist at Middlebury College, and Kim Lane Shepley, a Princeton sociologist. Of course, there are scholars who disagree with them. But in recent surveys, hundreds of political scientists from all over the country were asked to rate the health of American democracy.

That was Stephen Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard, Shabnam Gamushu, a political scientist at Middlebury College, and Kim Lane Shepley, a Princeton sociologist. Of course, there are scholars who disagree with them. But in recent surveys, hundreds of political scientists from all over the country were asked to rate the health of American democracy.

And they downgraded America's democracy score more than ever before. NPR's Frank Langfitt has been covering democracy for some time and was intrigued by these landmark results. He decided to speak to some scholars and others who've come here from authoritarian countries and find out what they make of President Trump's first months in office. Welcome to the show, Frank.

And they downgraded America's democracy score more than ever before. NPR's Frank Langfitt has been covering democracy for some time and was intrigued by these landmark results. He decided to speak to some scholars and others who've come here from authoritarian countries and find out what they make of President Trump's first months in office. Welcome to the show, Frank.

And they downgraded America's democracy score more than ever before. NPR's Frank Langfitt has been covering democracy for some time and was intrigued by these landmark results. He decided to speak to some scholars and others who've come here from authoritarian countries and find out what they make of President Trump's first months in office. Welcome to the show, Frank.

What struck you in your conversations with these scholars?

What struck you in your conversations with these scholars?

What struck you in your conversations with these scholars?