Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian at New York University who specializes in authoritarianism, aesthetics, cultural politics, and Italian history. She is the author of numerous books including an upcoming project on authoritarianism and political strongmen. Ben-Ghiat is also a regular contributor to CNN, The Atlantic, and The Huffington Post.

Professor Ben-Ghiat explains how Donald Trump is continuing to wear down America’s democratic institutions – and the public – to a point where authoritarian rule will be accepted as the new normal. Ben-Ghiat also warns how Trump leads a personality cult, which in keeping with how authoritarian regimes have historically taken power, is consuming the American government.

And Professor Ben-Ghiat predicts that Donald Trump is still waiting for the moment when he can declare a national emergency and fully take power by suspending the Constitution and the rule of law.

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Chauncey DeVega explains how Donald Trump created a crisis with Iran by killing Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani in order to distract the American people from impeachment. And Chauncey also shares his thoughts on “democracy fatigue” and how people can take that energy and turn it into resistance and other productive action against the Age of Trump.

SELECTED LINKS OF INTEREST FOR THIS EPISODE OF THE CHAUNCEY DEVEGA SHOW  

• Iran and Donald Trump's mind: Is this crisis his Reichstag fire?
• Here's What War With Iran Would Actually Look Like
• Congress: War Profiteering Is Real. We Need to End It.
• Increased Tensions With Iran Could Boost Defense Spending
• Trump’s Distraction by Assassination
• Susan Rice tears into Trump over "despicable lies" on Obama and Iran

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Music at the end of this week's episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show is by JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound. You can listen to some of their great music on Spotify.