Donald Trump has handed broad powers to unelected billionaire Elon Musk, tried to intimidate political opponents and attempted to suppress critical media coverage — all in his first month as president. One academic says this all adds up to “competitive authoritarianism,” a massive abuse of democracy.

Donald Trump has handed broad powers to unelected billionaire Elon Musk, tried to intimidate political opponents and attempted to suppress critical media coverage — all in his first month as president. One academic says this all adds up to “competitive authoritarianism,” a massive abuse of democracy.

Has the U.S. fallen into ‘competitive authoritarianism’?

Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday. Some of the topics we’ve covered recently, include: the Canadian Federal election and the party leaders running for Prime Minister; namely current Prime Minister and Liberal leader Mark Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. Also, how U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are impacting the Canadian election; tariffs threatening Canadian jobs, especially farmers, truckers, auto workers, energy sector workers, construction workers and steel and aluminum workers; raising the cost of living, inflation, and unemployment in Canada; straining cross-border relationships, including the historic friendship between Windsor and Detroit. We also discuss “Team Canada,” interprovincial trade, and the rise of “elbows up” Canadian patriotism; Canadian sovereignty and backlash to ‘51st state’ threats; on the world stage, including our relationship with China, Ukraine, India; security and our status in the Five Eyes spy network, NATO and NORAD, and shifting global alliances in general. Other recent topics include: the liquidation of Hudson’s Bay; the surge in measles cases, hair loss drug finasteride, extremist network 764, protests against Elon Musk and Tesla; Starlink and the rural internet; the turmoil around Israel and Gaza’s ceasefire; more adults with ADHD, Blue Ghost on the moon, genetically modified pig organs; aging well, wellness, dementia and long term care, as well as cancer and “commonsense oncology,” Greenland and Arctic sovereignty, cuts to USAID; Canada’s critical minerals; inflation; mortgages; opioids and Fentanyl, parenting, Canada’s best vacation spots, teens ditching social media; crypto power brokers in the White House; NASA’s new telescope and the making of a 3D map of the universe. Some of the stand-out guests we’ve had on recently: acclaimed author Salman Rushdie; Basketball star Demar Derozan; comedian Mark Critch; music legend Bob Ezrin; addictions advocate Scott Oake; Sapiens writer Yuval Noah Harari; Liberal candidate Chrystia Freeland Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha; CBC’s new CEO Marie-Philippe Bouchard; Chef Yotam Ottolenghi; best-selling author Louise Penny, Fashion journalist Jeanne Beker; On Tyranny author Timothy Snyder; former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew; Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, author and former spouse of the Prime Minister; MSNBC’s Chris Hayes; Alberta Premier Danielle Smith; Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell; godfather of AI Yoshua Bengio; Xena star Lucy Lawless; bestselling author and Prof G Pod host Scott Galloway; Trump nephew and critic Fred Trump III; former prime minister Joe Clark; The Certainty Illusion author Tim Caulfied; Indigenous author Tanya Talaga; tech insider and Pivot podcast host Kara Swisher; and NWT Premier R.J. Simpson. The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.

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Three stories to expand your worldview, delivered daily. Matt Galloway cuts through a sea of choice to bring you stories that transcend the news cycle. Conversations with big thinkers, household names, and people living the news. An antidote to algorithms that cater to what you already know — and a meeting place for diverse perspectives. In its 20 years, the Current has become a go-to place for stories that shape and entertain us. Released daily, Monday to Friday. Some of the topics we’ve covered recently, include: the Canadian Federal election and the party leaders running for Prime Minister; namely current Prime Minister and Liberal leader Mark Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh. Also, how U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are impacting the Canadian election; tariffs threatening Canadian jobs, especially farmers, truckers, auto workers, energy sector workers, construction workers and steel and aluminum workers; raising the cost of living, inflation, and unemployment in Canada; straining cross-border relationships, including the historic friendship between Windsor and Detroit. We also discuss “Team Canada,” interprovincial trade, and the rise of “elbows up” Canadian patriotism; Canadian sovereignty and backlash to ‘51st state’ threats; on the world stage, including our relationship with China, Ukraine, India; security and our status in the Five Eyes spy network, NATO and NORAD, and shifting global alliances in general. Other recent topics include: the liquidation of Hudson’s Bay; the surge in measles cases, hair loss drug finasteride, extremist network 764, protests against Elon Musk and Tesla; Starlink and the rural internet; the turmoil around Israel and Gaza’s ceasefire; more adults with ADHD, Blue Ghost on the moon, genetically modified pig organs; aging well, wellness, dementia and long term care, as well as cancer and “commonsense oncology,” Greenland and Arctic sovereignty, cuts to USAID; Canada’s critical minerals; inflation; mortgages; opioids and Fentanyl, parenting, Canada’s best vacation spots, teens ditching social media; crypto power brokers in the White House; NASA’s new telescope and the making of a 3D map of the universe. Some of the stand-out guests we’ve had on recently: acclaimed author Salman Rushdie; Basketball star Demar Derozan; comedian Mark Critch; music legend Bob Ezrin; addictions advocate Scott Oake; Sapiens writer Yuval Noah Harari; Liberal candidate Chrystia Freeland Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha; CBC’s new CEO Marie-Philippe Bouchard; Chef Yotam Ottolenghi; best-selling author Louise Penny, Fashion journalist Jeanne Beker; On Tyranny author Timothy Snyder; former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew; Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, author and former spouse of the Prime Minister; MSNBC’s Chris Hayes; Alberta Premier Danielle Smith; Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell; godfather of AI Yoshua Bengio; Xena star Lucy Lawless; bestselling author and Prof G Pod host Scott Galloway; Trump nephew and critic Fred Trump III; former prime minister Joe Clark; The Certainty Illusion author Tim Caulfied; Indigenous author Tanya Talaga; tech insider and Pivot podcast host Kara Swisher; and NWT Premier R.J. Simpson. The Current is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada — and has recently recorded live shows about the Canadian election in Surrey and Burnaby BC. And shows to come in Oshawa and the 905, Red Deer, Alberta, Quebec City and Halifax.

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Has the U.S. fallen into ‘competitive authoritarianism’?

Has the U.S. fallen into ‘competitive authoritarianism’?

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