LET’S KEEP OUR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC! – Is Trump turning America Into Russia unless we STOP HIM? Historian Anne Applebaum discusses how ignoring the violations of the Emoluments Clause, Jan. 6th, etc. in Trump 1.0 combined with recent actions by Trump, Musk, and company are rapidly leading us away from our Democratic norms.

Sen. Van Hollen showed that Congress actually does have agency, and a federal judge finally scorched the administration in crystal-clear language about how it’s violating the essence of our constitutional republic. But the White House is just treating the whole Abrego Garcia affair like it’s a joke. Meanwhile, Trump is elevating his own businesses over the nation’s, and is quickly adopting the kleptocratic models of Russia and China—while overlooking the fact that the Chinese have maintained a functional and competent government. Plus, children all over the world are going to die because Elon wants our money to go to his companies, and Marco signaled that the big talker who promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours is ready to give up and walk away.

0:00 Sen. Van Hollen meets Abrego Garcia 12:54 Trump neglecting court order 17:01 Kleptocracy, Inc. 23:53 Opposition & Hungary comparison 38:46 Cultural Revolution 43:27 Aid in Africa 47:17 Rubio on Ukraine

Anne Elizabeth Applebaum is an American journalist and historian. She has written about the history of Communism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe.