How Trump's Grift Makes Him a Failure: Professor
4/23/202656 min
Get 15% off OneSkin with code BEAST at https://www.oneskin.co/BEAST #oneskinpod Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAILYBEAST and use code DAILYBEAST at checkout for 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink. Timothy Snyder joins Hugh Dougherty to argue that the U.S. is not just in decline but is experiencing what he calls a “superpower suicide,” in which political choices, institutional weakening, and short-term self-interest are actively eroding national power. In a wide-ranging conversation, Snyder, American historian and University of Toronto history professor, links this decline in American global power to a mix of incompetence and grift at the top of the Trump administration, explores why this doesn’t resemble traditional fascism, and lays out how “competitive authoritarianism,” media dynamics, and grassroots organizing will shape whether American democracy can still correct course. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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First 90 secondsTimothy Snyder· Guest0:00
There are fascist elements to this, but they also lack some traits. Like fascists, for example, one must say that there are many horrible things involved, like aggression and atrocity, but the fascists weren't in it for the money, right?
Hugh Docherty· Host0:16
Right.
Timothy Snyder· Guest0:16
They weren't, like, this wasn't... And these guys are in it for the money. And so it's like they have fascist moments, but they're distracted by the desire to, you know, die incredibly rich.
Hugh Docherty· Host0:25
[upbeat music] Welcome to The Daily Beast Podcast. I'm Hugh Docherty. I'm executive editor of The Daily Beast, and I am in for Joanna Coles. And I'm delighted to be because we have an amazing guest today, the historian Timothy Snyder. But before we get started, please can I urge you to hit subscribe, join our army of subscribers, 654,000 of you and counting. Thank you to every one of us. Please help us get to 700,000. You can also join us as a friend of The Beast for just $4.99 a month. There are amazing benefits. There are live streams, exclusive content, even better, a special crown on your profile. What more can you ask for? We are independent media. Every bit of your support helps us get guests like Timothy Snyder. He is a renowned historian of authoritarianism. He has studied Hitler, Stalin, Putin, huge cast of villains, but he is also a believer in America, who has a moral vision of the moment we are in and how we can overcome it. He has written two books which should be on everyone's shelves, On Tyranny, which I'm holding up now, and On Freedom.
Unknown speaker1:29
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