Scott Detrow

Consider this. Trump's term has been marked by a string of policy proposals that would have been unthinkable in any other administration. Even if they don't go anywhere, they are reshaping the boundaries of our democracy. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

Consider this. Trump's term has been marked by a string of policy proposals that would have been unthinkable in any other administration. Even if they don't go anywhere, they are reshaping the boundaries of our democracy. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

Consider this. Trump's term has been marked by a string of policy proposals that would have been unthinkable in any other administration. Even if they don't go anywhere, they are reshaping the boundaries of our democracy. From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

It's Consider This from NPR. M. Gessen argues that there's a simple through line to the barrage of proposals in President Trump's first month.

It's Consider This from NPR. M. Gessen argues that there's a simple through line to the barrage of proposals in President Trump's first month.

It's Consider This from NPR. M. Gessen argues that there's a simple through line to the barrage of proposals in President Trump's first month.

Gessen has thought and written a lot about autocracy, most recently as an opinion columnist on The New York Times. So I got them on the line to talk about how they make sense of the Trump administration so far.

Gessen has thought and written a lot about autocracy, most recently as an opinion columnist on The New York Times. So I got them on the line to talk about how they make sense of the Trump administration so far.

Gessen has thought and written a lot about autocracy, most recently as an opinion columnist on The New York Times. So I got them on the line to talk about how they make sense of the Trump administration so far.

I want to do the radio host thing here of pushing back on the idea I've invited you onto this program to talk about, but I'm very curious about how you think about this. Because Americans voted to return Trump to power. And there's a lot of anecdotal and broader evidence that a lot of voters hear conversations like the one that we're having right now as white noise.

I want to do the radio host thing here of pushing back on the idea I've invited you onto this program to talk about, but I'm very curious about how you think about this. Because Americans voted to return Trump to power. And there's a lot of anecdotal and broader evidence that a lot of voters hear conversations like the one that we're having right now as white noise.

I want to do the radio host thing here of pushing back on the idea I've invited you onto this program to talk about, but I'm very curious about how you think about this. Because Americans voted to return Trump to power. And there's a lot of anecdotal and broader evidence that a lot of voters hear conversations like the one that we're having right now as white noise.

This is alarmist worries from elites and magazines and national news outlets. And they either don't believe these warnings or they don't care. How have you thought about this since the election? And what do you think about that dynamic that seems to really be playing out?

This is alarmist worries from elites and magazines and national news outlets. And they either don't believe these warnings or they don't care. How have you thought about this since the election? And what do you think about that dynamic that seems to really be playing out?

This is alarmist worries from elites and magazines and national news outlets. And they either don't believe these warnings or they don't care. How have you thought about this since the election? And what do you think about that dynamic that seems to really be playing out?

I think a theme across all of the close analysis of what has happened to countries that have slid into authoritarianism in the past is that a lot of the times the power is willingly given over.

I think a theme across all of the close analysis of what has happened to countries that have slid into authoritarianism in the past is that a lot of the times the power is willingly given over.

I think a theme across all of the close analysis of what has happened to countries that have slid into authoritarianism in the past is that a lot of the times the power is willingly given over.

And when you look across the country right now, whether it's large corporate-owned media settling lawsuits or big corporations suddenly changing their policies and their political actions or nonprofits stripping words from their websites right now,

And when you look across the country right now, whether it's large corporate-owned media settling lawsuits or big corporations suddenly changing their policies and their political actions or nonprofits stripping words from their websites right now,